Journey
by dimples33
Summary: The great granddaughter of Rick and Michonne Grimes receives handwritten letters and journals of their life together for a school project and simultaneously learns of her family rich and powerful history. Rick, Michonne and others. (Romance, Family, Drama, Hurt, Tragedy, Comfort) AU, No walkers.
1. Chapter 1

**Journey – Chapter 1**

 **HAPPY NEW YEAR to my faithful readers. I want to wish you, your family and friends a bright and prosperous 2017 and beyond. This is a new story that I have been working on. I hope that you will read, like, review, follow and favourite.**

 **Thank you all for being so supportive of me and my writing. I am so blessed to have each and every one of you. To all my new and potential readers...welcome. Please enjoy! :) :) :)**

The students in the class were getting restless as the time drew near for the last school bell to ring to signal the closure of school for the summer vacation. The teacher Mrs Bell raised her voice to speak over the loud chatter.

"You all will have a project to do over summer vacation and it will be going towards the class assignment grades."

There was a loud, collective groan from the whole class and Mrs Bell smiled.

"You are required to choose two people of your choice and chronicle their life in a book report to be presented. These persons could be deceased or still living."

The students groaned again. A student put up her hand.

"How long does the book report have to be?"

"Minimum…15 pages. The maximum is up to you."

The bell finally rang and everyone began filing out of the classroom. Larah and three of her friends Hannah, Kia and Megan walked out together. They hugged and kissed their other friends and began walking home together as they all live on the same street.

"I can't believe Mrs Bell gave us homework!" Megan complained.

"And a book report with the minimum of 15 pages no less." Larah added.

"Where are we going to get two people interesting enough to do this?" Hannah asked.

"We could do family members. That would be easy." Kia suggested.

"Easy yes…interesting…I don't think so." Larah reasoned. "Besides, it would be too obvious and I bet half the class would be doing that as well. We need to choose people who are not too complicated but will stand out."

The girls walked along the road in silence each deep in their own thought as they search their brains for anyone who could remotely qualify for their book report.

"I'm drawing a blank." Kia finally said.

"Me too." Hannah said nodding her head, agreeing with Kia.

"Don't worry. We will find someone and it would be great."

Larah was optimistic. Suddenly a car pulled up beside them. It was Megan's mother, Mrs Carey.

"Need a ride?"

Smiling, all four girls jumped into the mini-van. Megan's little sister Nicole was in the back seat. A minute later, Mrs Carey pulled up into her drive way. Larah, Kia and Hannah got out. Saying their goodbyes to each other they began walking to their homes. Larah lived next door to Megan and Kia and Hannah lived across the street next to each other. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Max, the family dog, was the first to greet Larah as she walked through the door. He jumped up and down excitedly on her all the way to the kitchen where her father Julian was standing by the counter, preparing for dinner. Olivia, her mother hadn't arrived at home as yet.

She sat down at the kitchen counter looking on as he expertly cut up the carrots and other vegetables and her six year old brother Jayden was helping him wash them in the sink. Her father owned two of the best fine dining restaurants and lounges in the country.

He owned _La Claire'_ in Atlanta which catered only to large corporations, government ministers, diplomats and other dignitaries who needed to conduct luncheons and dinners for clients and business associates. Reservations needed to be booked at least three months in advance.

He also owned _Peri' Peri'_ in Virginia. This restaurant caters to members of the public and reservation must be made six weeks in advance. Her father is a professional chef who studied in Italy, France and India and served under some of the world's legendary chefs.

Her mother had her own real estate company O.G Associates and it was registered with the different embassies in the country. The company had homes scattered all over the country that was specifically tailored to diplomats and other visiting dignitaries needs.

O.G Associates also bought and sold high end and low end, dilapidated homes and sold them on the market. The company also has rental properties all through-out Michigan, New York, Florida, Detroit and Ohio. Larah wouldn't call herself wealthy but she does live a very comfortable life style.

"Hey dad."

"Hey. How was school?"

"It was ok. School's out for the summer. I have a school project to do."

"What is it?"

"A book report with 15 pages mimimum. I have to narrative the lives of two people."

Her father turned to her smiling. She knew what that meant.

"No dad. I'm not doing you and mom."

"Why not?"

"Because dad…it's you and mom! I want to do someone interesting."

Her father cocked his head to one side, hands on his hips eyeing her.

"You think your mom and I are boring?"

"No! It's just too cliché. I am sure half the class is going to do their parents or some other family members. I want to do something different. I want to stand out. The marks go towards our mid-term grades."

Julian looked at his 13 year old daughter as her deep blue eyes stared right back at him. It was one of the traits that were most prominent throughout their family generation…from her great grandfather to his father to him to her. His son Jayden also has blue eyes.

"Well. If you are not going to do us, do you have someone in mind?"

"No…but I'm thinking about it."

"Ok. Let me know what you come up with."

Larah nodded and went upstairs to shower and change. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Larah passed her parent's picture in the corridor upstairs. She didn't mean to say that they were boring. It's just that she has heard the story of how they met hundreds of times. Her mom first met her dad briefly in Italy while he was studying and she was vacationing with her parents.

He was 19 and her mother was 17 at the time. They lost contact for four years and eventually met again for the second time when he catered one of her boss's parties. Surprisingly, they remembered each other and exchanged numbers. They began officially dating after 9 months and got married 2 years later.

She could write a book report on them in her sleep. She needed a challenge, something that she would have to do research on…something that will shock her and even her parents when they find out. Quickly, she took a shower and started googling on her computer. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Dinner was excellent as usual and it was made more fun because Kia, Hannah and Megan were there as well. After dinner, Larah parents retired to their room as her mother has a long stressful day at work and was feeling quite tired.

Jayden begged to go to his friend Anthony's house next door and their parents conceded, leaving the four teenagers to themselves. They liked it that way. Kia brought over some new movies her older brother Chad bought and she popped one in. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Olivia sat perfectly still as Julian massaged her slightly swollen feet. She was moaning which was a huge turn on for him. However, he willed himself some will power to control his urges as there were four teenagers in the house.

"How was your day?" he asked.

Olivia's eyes were closed when she responded.

"Hectic. I went to look at another house I want to buy and turn it into a rental. It has serious potential. I just need to get the owner to be more reasonable in his asking price."

"Ok."

"How was your day?"

"I hosted a Japanese Embassy diplomat today at _La Claire'_. It went well. Plus, Morgan said he saw the perfect spot for us to open another restaurant. He wants to meet with Vanessa to go over the figures for a new opening."

Olivia smiled.

"That's good."

"Maybe. We were going to work on having another baby…remember?"

"We talked about it but we didn't make a decision."

"Well let's make a decision now."

"Ok. Do you want another baby?"

"Yes. Jayden is six. It's time we had another pair of baby feet around here."

Olivia smiled. Julian has always made it abundantly clear from the get go that he wanted a brood of children. He himself came from a large family.

"Ok stud. Let's have another baby. That means that we are going to have to cut back on work. The both of us."

"Agreed." Julian pulled Olivia into a breath-taking kiss. "I can't wait to add to our family."

Olivia giggled.

"How was school for Larah?"

"She has a book report to do over the summer holiday. She has to pick two people and chronicle their life story." Julian saw his wife's face light up. "No. She's not going to do us. She thinks we're boring."

Olivia sat up in the bed.

"She actually said that?"

"Cliché is the word that she used."

"Wow. My child thinks we are cliché."

Suddenly a thought hit Julian and jumping off the bed, he ran out of the room.

"Where are you going?!"

"I'll be right back!" he called out to her.

Olivia said nothing as she lay back in bed. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Julian was rummaging through different boxes in the artic. After ten minutes he found what he was looking for. Smiling, he descended the artic and went back to his room clutching precious memories of the past. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Olivia watched as Julian came back into their room and sat down on the bed next to her. She recognized the box that he was holding in his arms.

"Those are the letter…from your grandfather to your grandmother."

Julian nodded.

"This is just some of them, my sister Heidi has majority of them with the journals. She reads them over and over. I read it once or twice but it was too depressing for me. Finding and keeping love shouldn't be so hard."

"True but what are you going to do with them?"

"Give them to Larah for her book report."

"I thought you said she wouldn't do family."

"She wouldn't do us…not family."

"It's the same thing Julian."

"No…it's not."

Olivia looked at him confused.

"Think about it Livvie. Remember the times my grandfather and grandmother grew up in. You know what that mean. They had to fight hard for their love and that took courage. That is something you and me and Larah and Jayden and any of our future grand and great grandchildren will never know about. Things were different back then…real different. The things they had to do and endure to keep themselves and their family safe…."

Julian stopped speaking as he was beginning to get emotional. He remembered some of the things he had read in the letters and the one journal he had. He felt their frustration and anger and fear through the words. Olivia pulled him close to her hugging him.

She knew about the letters and journal and heard the passion in which his sisters Heidi, Roslyn and Anastasia spoke of them. Their brothers Francis and Carter refused to read the letters or the journals.

Olivia wanted to read them but she felt that she would have been intruding on a treasured piece of Julian's family history. She cupped Julian's face in her hands and kissed him gently on the lips.

"You should give these to her and the ones from Heidi. Larah needs to know about her family history. She needs to know the love that she came from. She needs to understand that the love that created her was far from boring and cliché."

"You're right." Julian said smiling. "If it wasn't for them, none of us would be here." **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**


	2. Chapter 2

**Journey – Chapter 2**

Larah woke up to the smell of bacon and eggs. She rushed downstairs for breakfast and saw her mother and her brother in the kitchen. He was standing on a chair near the stove with their mother close to him guiding him as he cracked eggs in the frying pan.

"Good morning."

Without looking back her mother and brother responded.

"Good morning."

"Where's dad?"

"He went to the market. He will be back soon."

"Ok."

Larah saw a collection of old envelopes on the kitchen counter.

"What's this?'

Olivia glanced back at her briefly.

"Those are for you. Your father left it for you to use on your project for school."

Larah opened the first letter. The name _'Michonne'_ jumped out at her. She knew she heard that name before.

"Michonne." Larah whispered to herself but Olivia heard her.

"Do you know who that is?"

"I don't remember but I know I have heard dad mentioned that name before."

"Michonne is his grandmother and your great grandmother."

Larah nodded. She remembered that now. She picked up other letters and also saw the name _'Rick'_ as well. Looking through them she realized that they were love letters between Rick and Michonne.

"Rick is my great grandfather."

"Yes."

The front door opened and Julian walked in. He smiled when he saw Larah with the letters in her hand. He put down the produce that he bought in the kitchen sink.

"So what do you think?"

"I just got them."

"I called your aunt Heidi for the journals. She said that she would bring them by later."

"Journal?"

"Yes."

Julian walked over and sat next to his daughter.

"I know you said that you don't want to do any family members for your school project but this is different. Your great grandparents were born in an era when things were different and difficult where two people of two different races couldn't love each other or be together. Atleast not in the open."

Larah knew exactly what her father was talking about. She has done the topic of slavery and the many acts of violence that were perpetrated many times in class and the effect it has had on American history. She also knew that she came from a very large mixed race family of black and white.

She knew that her blue eyes came from the white side of the family and the brown eyes of her aunt Roslyn and Anastasia and her uncle Francis came from the black side of her family.

It was something that her father and aunts and uncles always talked about…the different family traits that each of them possessed and they always spoke with so much pride. However it was the first time she was seeing or even hearing about these letters.

"How come I have never heard about or seen these letters or journals?"

Julian sigh.

"We are proud of whom we came from but these letters and journals contains some very painful moments in our family history…in your great grandparents lives."

Julian watched as Larah go through the letters. One of them had a very faint red streak on it. Larah looked at it then looked up at her father as if hit by a revelation.

"Is this…?"

"It could be Larah. It could be blood. Your great grandmother or great grandfather's."

Larah gently put down the letters. It now occurred to her the gravity of the importance of these letters and the crucial role that it clearly has played in her family's history. She looked at them now, afraid to touch them.

"Did you ever have the blood tested?"

"We wanted to but we were warned against it when we took it to a museum. The paper is too old to handle the harsh chemicals needed to test the blood. It could destroy it. We couldn't take that risk. The letters are too important."

"Ok."

Neither one of them said anything. Olivia put down two plates of scrambled bacon and eggs infront of them.

"What are you thinking?" Julian asked softly.

"I am curious. I want to read them."

He smiled.

"Does that mean that you will use it for your group project?"

"It's not everyday you get a deep, personal account into the lives of your ancestors, so yes I will use the letter but I am scared dad."

"You should be."

Larah looked up at her father.

"You should be scared that what happened back then could still have been our way of life today if people like your great grandmother and great grandfather and others didn't fight for what they believe in and for who they loved."

Larah looked back at the letters and Julian and Olivia looked at each other. They could see that her interest was peak and they were going to fan those flames of curiosity even more.

"When the journals come, you will lots of reading material. Promise though that if it should all become too much that you will stop reading or atleast take a break from reading it...even if it is just to give yourself some time to adjust."

"I promise."

Olivia and Jayden sat down and they all started having breakfast. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

After washing up the dishes, Larah took the letters and secured them so she can started reading after she was finished with her chores. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

When Heidi arrived, Larah was still in her room cleaning. Heidi greeted her Julian.

"Where's Larah?'

"She's upstairs cleaning her room. Did you get my voicemail?"

Nodding, she carefully took out the journals that were safely wrapped in a cloth…all 12 of them. Laying them down on the dining room table Julian opened the cloth. The journals being so old were in different state of falling apart. He saw the look on his sister's face.

"What's wrong?"

"Does she realize how valuable these are to our family?"

"After this morning, she does. I gave her the letters."

"Please, please pleaseeee tell her to be careful with these."

"I will Heidi. Don't worry."

Julian knows how important these journals are to the family, especially to Heidi. Heidi is the only one of them in their family to date who closely resembles their grandmother Michonne according to their father Carl who was Rick and Michonne's first born son.

Rick and Michonne passed away one month after Julian was born. He was their parents Carl and Sephra's fourth child, after older brothers Francis and Carter and only sister at the time Heidi. After he was born their younger twin sisters Roslyn and Anastasia arrived one year later.

Francis, Carter and Heidi are the only ones who had the privilege of knowing their grandparents even if it was for a short time. Julian however was just one month old. They passed away in 1978…Rick of lung cancer at aged 55 and Michonne three days later of a broken heart at aged 53 years. Their father Carl was 36 years old at the time.

Heidi touched the journals and then hugged her brother and left. It was high noon when Larah finished her chores. Fixing herself a sandwich for lunch, she went to the backyard and sat on the swing seat under the large mango tree.

The sun was blazing hot but the branches and the leaves gave her cool shade. Carefully selecting one of the envelopes, she secured the others under a notebook which she had with her.

She opened it carefully. It was a short letter but it was clear on who fell in love first from the first four words. She began reading.

' _Oh most beautiful flower...'_ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~***

 _ **Atlanta 1941….**_

 _Miriam kissed her 16 year old daughter before giving her some words of wisdom._

' _Go straight to the store and come right back. Mind your own business and keep your head down. Don't say anything to no-one except at the store to ask for what you went there for.'_

 _Innocent brown eyes looked up at her mother._

' _I will be ok mummy.'_

' _You will only be ok when I see you walk back through that door unharmed. I would go if I could.'_

' _You're sick.'_

 _She pushed the list and the money in her daughter's hand. She hugged her and watched nervously as her oldest child left the house._ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

 _Michonne made sure she was very aware of her surroundings as she walked to the store. Her mother's words played over and over in her head. She took the fastest and most direct route to the store to get the medication and food that her mother needed._

 _America is a dangerous place to be for someone like her…a young black female. Rapes, assaults, beatings, kidnapping and murders is an almost daily occurrence. She pulled the coat tight over her shoulders and ten minutes later she walked cautiously into the intended building._

 _There were a lot of people in there….mostly white people with only a sprinkling of blacks in between. Taking up a nearby empty basket, she went lane by lane picking up exactly what she needed from the list._

 _She has visited the store many times before and her mother usually needed the same things. She could feel eyes on her…prying eyes…hostile eyes…eyes that meant to do her harm if given the opportunity._

 _She could hear the store's door open and close many times over with customers coming in and going out. She didn't turn around as it was none of her business. Gathering what she need from the various grocery aisles, she paid for the item by the cashier and walked over to the pharmacy section._

 _She stood in line and glanced up briefly and saw Mr Green, the store's owner staring directly at her. She turned away. After a couple of minutes, it was her turn. She handed the white clerk the prescription._

" _$44.95."_

 _Michonne stared at the woman. Then she did the unthinkable. She questioned the price._

" _It says $34.95 on the list here."_

" _It is but for your kind we are now charging a 'coloured' fee."_

 _Michonne looked at the clerk._

" _You people are always sick and need medication so if you want it you gotta pay for it."_

 _Michonne kept staring at the woman. The clerk clearly didn't like the way Michonne was looking at her. She glanced over in Mr Green's direction._

" _Is there a problem?!" he barked from across the store._

" _I think this coloured woman don't want to pay your 'coloured' fee. She actually refusing." The woman said chuckling._

" _Then she could get the f*ck out of my store!"_

 _Several persons burst out laughing at Mr Green's remarks. Michonne took out the extra $10 dollars out of her coat and paid for the item. As much as she wanted to argue she didn't. She is not going to stress out her mother and make her sicker than she already is. She needed the medicine and didn't want to stray too far from home alone._

 _The clerk took the money triumphantly out of Michonne's hand giving her back 5 one cent pieces instead of a whole 5cent piece. Michonne took the change, knowing full well that whole 5cent piece hold more monetary value that the one cent pieces. She pocketed the money and quietly left the store._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_

 _The Grimes family moved to Atlanta with their two sons, 18 year old Rick and 15 year old Brandon Grimes three days ago. Their father Phillip Grimes accepted a job promotion two weeks ago that could significantly increase the status for their family._

 _Phillip's wife Mary Grimes didn't want to leave Michigan. She didn't want to leave her family. Racial tension was high in Atlanta and she didn't want her sons exposed to all that ugliness. Phillip convinced her that the move was only temporary._

 _While his parents went to enrol Brandon in a school, Rick decided to explore the city that he will now be calling home. He went to the local park, the cinema and then to the grocery store where he bought a few items and hopped on a bus to head back home._

 _After fifteen minutes of driving it stopped by a traffic light. Rick saw different people outside, clenching their coats and hoodies close to their bodies to protect themselves from the cold air. He saw a young lady with bag full of groceries come out of Mr Green's Grocery Store and Pharmacy in one hand and the other holding her jacket steady on her._

 _She walked briskly towards the traffic light and had just stepped off the pavement to cross when it turned green. The bus driver seeing this, blew his horn loudly and aggressively startling her. She pulled back almost instantly onto the pavement and out of harms way._

 _The driver started moving the bus forward and was cursing expletives at her. She remained calm and didn't react and as the bus drove passed her, Rick strained to get a better view of the person. As if psychic, she looked up directly at him and he inhaled suddenly._

 _Those eyes…those beautiful brown eyes….._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_

 _Michonne put the items in the fridge and gave her mother her medication. Her younger sister was asleep and her father hadn't come home from work yet. She brought her mother a glass of water to take her medicine._

 _She couldn't tell her mother about the new 'coloured' tax that she and the other black people will now have to pay at the only grocery store and pharmacy within safe walking distance from their home. She couldn't tell her mother that the extra ten dollars came out of the transportation for school for the week._

 _Michonne wasn't going to put that burden on her mother right now. She will tell her father later and get the money back from him. Her mother has always been a worry wart, especially for the welfare of her children, hence the high blood pressure medication._

 _Her father Malcolm worked in construction 12 hours a day at $5.50 per hour with only Sundays off if he is lucky and the bosses feel generous. However, his white counterparts work only eight hours per day with weekends off to spend with their families at $11.50 per hour._

 _Her father never complained as he was glad that he even had a job and could support his wife and two children. Her mother worked as a house maid for a white middle class family for the past 10 years and they have been cruel to her._

 _She wanted to leave many times but their household needed two incomes. She couldn't risk leaving one job without another one to immediately go to. She has been looking for the past two years but without any luck so far, she resigned herself to stay and tough it out for the sake of their well-being._

 _As her mother rest up in bed, Michonne began preparing dinner for the family._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_


	3. Chapter 3

**Journey – Chapter 3**

 _ **Atlanta 1941 cont…..**_

 _Malcolm came home at around 9:30pm. The house was in darkness as everyone was already asleep. He put on the small lamp in the living room and its reflection casted enough light in the area._

 _He walked to the dining area and on the table was a plate covered down neatly with a kitchen towel over it. He put his work tools down on the floor, pulled out a chair, sat down and began eating the simple meal of stewed peas and rice._

 _He quickly and quietly ate the tasty meal and after washing up his dishes, went to check on his girls. The room had a sliver of light coming through the curtains. Michonne was sleeping soundly on one side of the bed with her arms protectively around her younger sibling, 10 year old Marcella._

 _Suddenly his heart grew heavy. He promised himself that he would buy another bed so that the girls could separate but at this time the money was tight. Miriam was working part-time because of her illness and therefore was getting half of her already meagre wages._

 _As a result, he fought to take on extra shifts at work, but those extra shifts only helps to cover Miriam's expenses for her medication. Therefore their standard of living hasn't improved. He willed back the tears from in his eyes because he couldn't provide for his family as he could like to._

 _He closed the door to their room and crawled to his. He was so tired. Those extra shifts drained him but he kept telling himself every morning when he woke up at 4am and comes homes at 9pm at night that this is what a man does to provide for his family._

 _He kissed Miriam goodnight on her forehead and lay down on the ground. He wasn't going to shower tonight as he needed to save that water for his bath in the morning for the next day's work. Plus he didn't want to soil the sheets that Miriam worked so hard in keeping clean._

 _He closed his eyes and minutes later he heard movements and then a warm body pressed up into him. He pulled the body closer to him._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_

 _Michonne took her lunch money out of her pocket and gave it to her little sister. Marcella hugged her tightly and Michonne watched as she ran into the school compound. When Marcella was safely inside the school's gates, she began her trek to her own school eight blocks down._

 _She walked up the school steps just in time for the school bell. Michonne shuffled quickly to her first class._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_

 _Michonne tried to get as much reading as she can during the first period class. It was almost time for her second period subject and the teacher still hadn't shown up as yet. That was one of the main challenges in black neighbourhoods._

 _Teachers don't come to school and as a result there is a high drop-out or failure rates in the exams. Finally, the bell rang and Michonne quickly exist the class. A smile appeared on her face when she walked into her second subject class teacher Mrs Campbell standing in front._

 _She smiled at Michonne as she gestured for her to quickly take her seat. Michonne obey and soon Maths classes began._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_

 _ **Three weeks later…**_

 _The Grimes family have settled down nicely in their new home in Atlanta. Mary has finally stopped complaining bitterly about being away from her family and friends. For the first week, she argued and picked fights with Phillip all in an effort to go back to Michigan._

 _However, Phillip stood his ground and told Mary that she better get use to living here. Within the second week she had given up and resigned herself into accepting Atlanta was her home now._

 _Brandon was also adjusting to his new school and making new friends as well. Rick on the other hand, decided to get a job to support himself as he was legally an adult. But he soon realized that wanting a job and actually finding one were two different things._

 _He would leave early in the morning, taking the local bus and drop off in the middle of the city. From there he would walk around looking for vacancies signs at bars, restaurants, grocery stores and pharmacies._

 _He did so for the first two weeks into their move to Atlanta and when that didn't work he decided to try sending out resumes. He looked in the local dailies and would randomly pick out businesses in the area and mail out applications to them._

 _He had done a short course in security management and did get a few interested replies but none of them offered to grant him an interview. The responses he got gave him the courage to not give up and so he continued searching._

 _After a week of doing this Rick decided to go to the local movie and take Brandon along with him. Their parents hugged them, told them to be safe and to enjoy the movie._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_

" _The movie was so awesome!"_

 _Brandon said excitedly to Rick under the curious stares of some of the passengers on the bus. Some were smiling while others had a hint of annoyance and disapproval on their faces. Rick ignored them as he listened to Brandon talked incessantly about his favourite parts in the movie. The bus came slowly to a stop at a traffic light. Rick continued listening to his brother rattle on and when the bus began moving again he turned his head to look outside the window just in time to see an old man closing up his store with a flashing "Vacancy" sign above him. It was an opportunity presenting itself._

" _Stop the bus!"_

 _Brandon stared at him._

" _Why?! What for?!"_

 _When the bus driver didn't stop, Rick ran up to the front of the bus with Brandon following close behind._

" _I said stop the bus!"_

 _The driver slammed on the brakes causing some of the passengers to jerk forward._

" _Rick! What are you doing?!"_

" _I'm going to get a job!"_

 _Rick moved towards the door and Brandon did the same. Rick stopped him._

" _No. You stay on the bus. Go home. I will catch the next one. Tell mum and dad I will be home soon!"_

" _I want to go with you!"_

 _Rick stepped off the bus shaking his head._

" _Go home."_

 _The bus driver shut the door in Brandon's face, separating the brothers. Brandon looked through the window as Rick waved at him. When the bus disappeared around the corner, Rick approached the man who was just putting on the final padlock on the door. He stood next to him. The man looked up at him._

" _Can I help you?"_

 _Rick pointed to the 'Vacancy' sign._

" _I see that you are hiring and I'm looking for a job."_

 _The man cocked his head at Rick as soon as he heard his thick accent. He folded his arms across his chest and gave the fresh faced, blue eye young man infront of him._

" _You're not from around here, are you?"_

" _No sir. Is that be a deal breaker for you?"_

 _The man smiled at Rick's quick response."_

" _Are you a hard worker?"_

" _I'm not a slacker, if that's what you're asking."_

" _What can you do?"_

" _Just put me to work sir. Whatever you put infront of me, I will do it to the best of my ability."_

" _Well for now, I need a general store assistant. Packing shelves, assisting customers, taking inventory, opening the store early in the morning and closing up late at night and maybe alittle cleaning up afterwards once in awhile. Things like that. You think you could handle that?"_

" _I most certainly can!"_

 _Rick couldn't conceal the excitement at this present moment and the man noticed. He chuckled._

" _How soon could you start?"_

" _Just tell me when you need me."_

" _How about tomorrow?"_

 _Rick stretched out his hand towards the man and the man shook it._

" _Welcome to Green's Grocery Store…uh. I didn't catch your name."_

" _Rick. Rick Grimes."_

" _Welcome to Green's Grocery Store and Pharmacy. I'm Mr Green. Meet me here at 6am sharp tomorrow."_

 _Rick was beyond thrilled._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_

 _After getting a good scolding for leaving his younger brother to travel alone on the bus to come home, Phillip and Mary told Rick that they were proud of him on getting his first job unassisted. They counselled him to work hard and that hard work could lead to him getting a promotion in the near future. Rick promised to do his best and he went to bed happy as clams that night._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_

 _Rick arrived to work promptly at 6am and waited patiently for his new employer. At 6:10am Mr Green walked up. He was pleased at Rick's punctuality._

" _Good way to start off the day Rick."_

 _Soon after, a woman walked up to them and Mr Green introduced them._

" _Rick…this is Cathy. She's the store cashier. Cathy…this is Rick, our new employee."_

 _They shook hands and Mr Green opened the store._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_

 _By 6:30am all the other employees were at work. Mr Green took Rick around the store and introduced him to everyone before explaining to him what his duties were for his first day. Half an hour later, Rick was bringing boxes out from the store room at the back and packing the shelves in the various aisles._

 _His starting hourly rate is $8.50 per hour and will be paid $1.50 for every extra hour that he works after the store closes to the public. However Mr Green informed him that for now, he will not be eligible for the overtime rate as yet. That disappointed Rick but he was very careful not to show it._

 _He firmly believes that if a man works, he should be paid. However, he bit his tongue on the issue, determined to prove himself to be the best employee._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_

 _ **Four days later…**_

 _Rick was packing the shelves when a young woman followed by a young girl walked in. He didn't pay much attention to her but he felt the mood in the store changed. It was one of the things that he first picked up on his first day at work._

 _The young ladies were black and the younger one stuck very close to the older one. The older girl looked around 16 or 17 years old and was dressed in blue jeans, flat peep toes and a sweater. Her hair was in a low ponytail that reached just on her shoulders._

 _She was carrying a school bag on her shoulders as well as the younger girl's. Rick deduced that she was her little sister. They moved quickly and silently between the aisles and after a while looked to be stumped for what they were looking for._

 _Rick looked up and saw Mr Green and other white customers looking at them. He decided to go over and help. The younger girl saw his approach and squeezed the hand of the older girl hand in response. She turned around. It was those eyes again and all he did was gaze at her._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_

 _Michonne stared at the pale, blue eyed young man looking at her. She took a step back to ease the intensity of the glare of his gaze. Suddenly he spoke hoarsely._

" _Good evening Miss. Can I help you find something?"_

' _Did he just call me Miss?' Michonne thought to herself. The accent also caught her completely by surprise. She looked around and realized that his was the only kind and gentle eyes in the room. She remembered her mother always said that not all people are cruel but knowing who is who was the tricky part._

 _Her father however, shared a different perspective. 'Don't trust any of them' he would drum over and over in her and Marcella's head. Michonne just combined the two points of views…interact with them when it is absolutely necessary but other than that, avoid them at all cost._

 _Not knowing what situation is this, she chose to follow her father's words and avoid him. Holding Marcella's hand tightly, Michonne took a couple of steps back._

" _No thank you."_

" _Are you sure?"_

 _Michonne barely nodded and quickly moved to another aisle._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_

 _The softness of her voice when she answered him sent butterflies in his stomach. Rick watched as they moved to quickly to another aisle and continued shopping. There is something about her that was drawing him in._

 _He wanted to talk to her, get to know her better but he knew he had to be careful as he didn't want to scare her away. He continued doing his duties, waiting for the opportune time._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_

 _Rick saw when the young woman walked up to the cashier to pay for her items. Rick positioned himself by the front door and waited patiently. A couple of minutes later, she walked passed him._

" _Have a good day Miss. Please come again."_

 _She stopped and looked at him briefly. He was smiling, his baby blue eyes also smiling at her. Involuntary, she smiled back before quickly leaving the store. Rick watched as she held the younger girl's hand. She stopped at the traffic light briefly, waiting for the pedestrian light to turn green._

 _When it finally did, Rick prayed that she would look back just once and with each step she took forward his wish drifted further and further away from him as she disappeared into the distance. She never looked back._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_


	4. Chapter 4

**Journey – Chapter 4**

 _ **Three weeks later…..**_

 _Since his first day at work and seeing that girl and her younger sister at the store that day, Rick couldn't get her out of his mind. Of course he has seen and talked to other girls before but this…this was different…she was different._

 _It wasn't the colour of her skin kind of different. She just had aura about her that was drawing him in. He has never experienced something like this ever before in his life. He went to work each day, hoping to get a daily glimpse of her as she walked by or better yet, when she comes into the store._

 _So far he was only lucky in seeing her walked pass the store most times on her way home with her little sister in tow. Yesterday, he had spotted them coming up the street through the window in the side storeroom._

 _They were talking and laughing. He dropped the boxes he was carrying and rushed out of the room. With subtle haste, he picked up the nearest garbage bin and empty its merger contents into a plastic bag from a nearby shelf._

 _He steadied himself and feigned being busy, all the while marking his target for interception._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_

" _Your birthday is coming up Marcella. What do you want?"_

 _Marcella looked up to her older sister._

" _I thought we wouldn't be giving any gifts this year because mommy is sick and we need the money?"_

" _Don't worry about that. I have been saving my lunch money."_

" _You haven't been eating lunch in school?"_

 _Michonne saw the worry in Marcella's eyes._

" _It's fine. I eat a heavy breakfast in the mornings and I eat dinner when I come home."_

" _Does mommy and daddy know?"_

" _No and don't tell them either."_

" _Why? We don't keep secrets, remember?"_

" _I'll tell them."_

 _Marcella stopped walking, causing Michonne to come to a standstill as well._

" _Promise?"_

" _I promise."_

 _They began walking again._

" _So what do you want for your birthday?"_

 _Marcella's mind raced with all kinds of ideas._

" _I don't know!"_

" _The travelling petting zoo is coming to town three days after your birthday. I could buy tickets for that in advance."_

" _Would they sell it to us this time?"_

 _Michonne felt a pang of pain in her heart. Their last attempt to go to the local fair two years ago left an emotional scar that is still fresh on Marcella's mind._

" _I promise you that it wouldn't be like last time. We will get in this time."_

 _Marcella smiled broadly and hugged Michonne but all of a sudden, she stiffened._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_

 _Rick watched covertly as they were walking up to the store. He opened the door as casually as he can and walked towards the pavement._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~**_

" _It's him!" Marcella whispered into Michonne's ear._

 _Michonne looked up and saw the pale, blue eyed young man smiling at them as he walked to the large garbage can on the side of the pavement. Marcella held on to Michonne's hand tightly as they resumed walking, not changing their direction. He put the garbage bag on the sidewalk and turned to them as they reached directly infront of him._

" _Hi."_

 _Marcella stayed close to Michonne as she looked around._

" _How are you?" Rick asked, hoping to draw her attention back to him._

 _Michonne looked toward the store and saw several accusatory eyes looking at them. Then she faced him again, he saw that she was worried._

" _You don't have to be afraid. I'm not going to hurt you."_

 _He hated the way she looked scared and how he had to reassure her that them just talking is not a death sentence or would bring any harm to her. He hated the times that they lived in. He smiled to reassure her of his sincerity. Marcella tugged on Michonne's arm._

" _Can we go home…please?!"_

 _Michonne smiled down at her nodding. When she raised her head, Rick had already stepped out of their way but he was still smiling at her. They walked past him and when they reached by the corner, Marcella looked back. Rick waved at her._

" _He's still looking at us." She whispered again._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_

 _Rick watched the duo walked down to the corner._

" _Look back!" he muttered to himself. "Please look back…just this once."_ _ **~*~*~*~*~***_

 _Michonne stopped at the corner waiting for the pedestrian lights to turn green._

" _Is he still looking at us?"_

 _Marcella peeped cautiously behind._

" _Yes. He's still smiling."_

 _For Michonne, the lights took forever to change. When it finally did, both she and Marcella quickly crossed the street. Safely on the other side, Michonne hesitated abit, then slowly, she turned around. Sure enough, the young man was still there, looking at her, his blue eyes holding fixed and firm her brown ones._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_

 _ **Two days later…**_

 _It was Saturday morning and while her father had gone to work, her mother was planning on taking Marcella to the library to help her pick out the books she needed for a school project. Michonne had offered to do the morning shopping to ease up the stress to her._

 _Miriam was very reluctant at first as she knows that Michonne has been doing more than her fair share in helping her since she had gotten ill. However, at Michonne's insistence, she gave in. At 10:30 am, she walked into Mr Green's and was somewhat relieved and then slightly disappointed at not seeing the smiling young man._

 _She and her family have been regular customers at this grocery for as long as she could remember and the only reception that they have ever gotten was icy. Black patrons are often verbally abused which she witnessed on more than one occasion._

 _Physical attacks have also taken place. Whenever that happens, Miriam keeps her and Marcella away from the grocery for awhile or until things calm down. They have tried limiting her trips to the store in general but sometimes that is not always practical._

 _She shopped around the store for about ten minutes and after getting all what she wanted, she took the items to the cashier to be tallied. She watched anxiously as the figures rose higher and higher._

 _She silently prayed that she would have enough money to cover the new coloured tax that was now being imposed. The total came up to $72.25 and she had exact $75. She paid and out of the corner of her eyes, she saw movement._

 _She looked in that direction and it was him. He was smiling at her, that damn ridiculous but warming smile. He started packing up her groceries in a brown paper bag. She turned away shyly from his kind eyes, shifting uncomfortably on her feet, only to meet the condescending eyes of the cashier._

" _Step aside!" the woman barked at her. "There are other paying customers here."_

 _Michonne moved to the left immediately to stand directly in from of him. She saw him looked at the cashier, angry at her tone of voice towards her. In those brief few seconds when his attention was directed elsewhere, she decided to scope him out properly, unhindered._

 _Other than his pale skin and blue eyes, he had brown hair with cute curls caressing his forehead, along his ears and the nape of his neck. His arms looked tone in his white cotton shirt._

 _When she raise her head, shame immediate swarmed her. He was looking at her again and this time, in place of his smile was a mischievous twinkle in his eye. She turned away, swallowing hard. She closed her eyes and prayed for the earth to open and gobble her up so that she could disappear._

" _Miss?"_

 _Michonne opened her eyes again and he handed her grocery bags to her._

" _Have a nice day and please come again."_

 _She took the bags and quickly left the store._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~**_

 _On reaching home, Michonne began unpacking the grocery. When she picked up the last item, she saw a piece of paper at the bottom of the bag. She picked it up and opened it. It read._

" _Hi. I'm Rick."_ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~**_

 _Rick was a nervous wreck when the young lady left the store. He had taken a huge risk…taken a big step with what he did. He hoped that it doesn't backfire on him. There was something about her and he wanted to know more about her._

 _He was new to this place and was in dire need of making new friends. Brandon had made a ton of friends in school and was already getting invites to parties. Most of the people at the grocery store are older than him, except for Yolanda, a part-time worker who was 19 years old at the time and Steve, the 23 year old security guard._

 _He didn't want to be their friend despite their best efforts to befriend him. He had seen how they discriminate, sometimes blatantly against black people, especially Steve. Since working here, Steve have stopped and searched several black customers' bags, knowing fully well that they hadn't stolen anything._

 _One time he broke one of the customer's items and it was never replaced. The customer left the store without making a complaint. He knew that racism was a serious problem in the country but he had never seen this kind of openly practiced racism back in Michigan._

 _He had approached Steve on what he had done that day but Steve just laughed at him. It was then he started avoiding Steve and made a mental note to start looking for another job. Even, if Steve wasn't such a prick, there was only one person he was interested in getting to know anyway. If she had reached home by now and unpacked her groceries, then she knows it too._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_

 _Michonne stared at the note for a long time whilst leaning against the kitchen counter. She read it out aloud._

" _Hi. I'm Rick."_

 _She didn't know what to do with the note. She tried imagining him saying his name to her in his thick weird accent and it made her giggle. She thought about her next move. Should she throw it away? Burn it? Show it to her parents? Should she respond?_

 _She was torn between the words of her mother saying that not all white people are bad and that of her father who held the opposite view. He constantly hammered into her and Marcella's head that they are never to be trusted…ever._

 _When she heard the faint jingling of keys at the front door, she fled to her room. Quickly, she neatly folded the note and hid it deep in the back of one of her draws. She returned to the living room as her mother and Marcella walked into the kitchen._

" _You're back already."_

 _Michonne merely nodded. She was afraid to speak for fear of spilling her guts about the note._

" _Did everything go ok?"_

 _For a brief moment, she thought her mother was psychic and smelt her secret. Her eyes began darting wildly._

" _Michonne?"_

" _Yes mummy?"_

" _Is everything alright?"_

 _Michonne took a deep confident breath._

" _Yes mummy. Everything is alright."_ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_

 _ **Three days later…**_

 _It was the third day since slipping the note into the grocery bag. His mind was racing with all kinds thoughts. Did she get it? What did she think? Did she think he was a creep? He was standing by the window looking out when suddenly the worst case scenario came crashing into his chest. What if her parents found the note?_

 _Swiftly, he started to feel dizzy and he stumbled towards the restroom. Maybe what he did wasn't his finest move after all. He didn't want to create any problems for her knowing how difficult it already is for her family._

 _He made up his mind then and there that if he suspect any trouble, he would back away, even if it meant not getting to know her or being more than a friend. He bent over the wash sink and hurled._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_

 _ **Two days later…**_

 _Rick was packing the shelves in the snack section when he heard the doorbell to the front door rang. He didn't look up._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~**_

 _Michonne walked into the grocery store with her mother. They had come to buy medication for Marcella who had the sniffles. Rick was nowhere in sight._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_

 _Rick got up off the bench on which he was sitting and picked up the empty boxes. When he rose up he saw her. He contained his excitement but he had never been so ecstatic to see her face. He scanned her face and she didn't seem to be disturbed to be in the store._

 _He moved to a secluded aisle, jammed his hand into his pocket for his pen and began looking around anxiously for a note pad. Finding one, he was about to begin writing another note when on looking up his pen froze in mid-air._

 _A woman appeared next to her and from the striking resemblance no one could deny, he knew immediately who she was. Pushing the pen and notepad into his pocket, he retreated to the back room unseen._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~**_

 _ **One week later…..**_

 _It was Sunday and the day of the travelling petting zoo. Marcella was waiting impatiently at the front door._

" _Come on!"_

" _I'm coming Marcie!"_

 _Michonne turned to their parents who hugged her tightly. Marcella had spilled the beans about Michonne starving herself to save her lunch money so that she could take her to the zoo for her birthday._

 _After scolding Michonne, they gave her the money and told her to keep the money she saved. Malcolm was frowning._

" _I really don't like the two of you going by yourselves."_

" _Don't worry daddy. The first sign of trouble I'll leave."_

" _We can't keep sheltering them Malcolm. This is the world that we live in and they have to know and learn how to navigate it."_

" _That doesn't mean I have to like it."_

 _He called over Marcella to hug her again. She grudgingly obeyed. She hugged their mother again and then grabbing Michonne's hand, she dragged her out the front door._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_

 _Rick and Brandon got to the travelling petting zoo. He was the fifth wheel as Brandon was there to meet up with some of his friends from school. The entry line into the zoo was divided…one side for blacks and the other for whites._

 _People began lining up with only metal barriers between them. As they neared the entrance, he took out the money for the entry fee._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_

 _Marcella pulled Michonne into the line excitedly. There were a lot of people, both black and white. They walked orderly in the line along the barriers._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_

 _Finally Rick and Brandon were inside and he was happy that there weren't any barriers like on the outside. However, despite no physical barriers, there were implied invisible and emotional barriers._

 _Blacks and whites formed large and small clusters among themselves but away from each other. Where there were large clusters of whites by any game, blacks stayed clear away and vice versa._

 _Only a handful of blacks and whites mingled with each other although they weren't exactly talking to each other either, except to say a simple 'excuse me' once in awhile. As they walked around, there were a few games available._

 _He followed Brandon to the BB gun stand and after paying the fee, he stood back and watch Brandon play as he waited for his friends. After a couple of minutes, he casually looked around and scanned the crowd._

 _Suddenly, his heart skipped a beat as his eyes zoomed in. He paid for another round for Brandon to his surprise._

" _I'll be right back."_

 _Brandon nodded and continued playing._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_

 _Michonne and Marcella walked to the ring toss booth._

" _How much?"_

 _$6.00."_

 _She took out the money and paid the booth operator. He gave Marcella a handful of rings and she began tossing them to try and win a prize. She smiled at her little sister's level of excitement and enthusiasm at the simplest of things._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_

 _As Rick walked through the crowd, he was desperately trying to tax his brain on where he had seen the nearest security booth when they had walked in. After a few turns in the crowd, he spotted it. He ran up and rapped on the door firmly. Getting no response he knocked harder and louder. The door finally opened._

" _Yes?"_

" _Do you have a pen?"_

" _What?"_

" _Do you have a pen?!"_

 _The woman picked up a pen from on the table behind her and handed it to him._

" _And paper?"_

 _The woman folded her arms, raising an eyebrow at him._

" _No." she said flatly._

" _Damn it!" Rick cursed out loud._

 _He searched his pockets in hopes of finding the smallest scrap of paper to write on. Instead all he found was money. Unexpectedly, an idea hit him and he took off running into the crowd._

" _Hey!" the woman called after him, her words getting lost in the wind._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_

 _Marcella screamed with delight when the booth operator handed her the tennis racket prize she had won. She hugged Michonne._

" _I only have money for a few more games. Choose wisely."_

 _Marcella looked around but she didn't see any games that she wanted to play with insight. Instead she pointed over to the petting zoo._

" _I want to go by the animals."_

 _They walked over and when Michonne paid, Marcella began petting the elephants through the bars._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_

 _Rick walked back to the last place he had seen them but they were nowhere in sight. He began searching._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_

 _When their time was up, Michonne and Marcella walked to the other pens where they kept the horses. She paid another fee and watched contented when Marcella was given sugar cubes and she began feeding the horses. Abruptly, a voice spoke from behind her._

" _Miss?"_

 _She turned around._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_

 _Rick stared at her and she him. He held out his hand with a $5 bill in it._

" _I think you dropped this."_

 _While looked directly at him, Michonne dug into her pocket and took out her money, only looking away to count it. However, it was all there. She looked at Rick and there was something compelling in his eyes. He took a cautious step closer to her, still holding the money out to her._

" _Miss. This belongs to you."_

 _He stressed on the words this time. He nodded at the money and then at her. She looked down at the money and saw that something was scribbled on it. Her eyes drifted back up to his and their eyes locked, this time with hidden meaning. She reached out and took the money, their hands touching._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_

 _Rick didn't let go of the money immediately as he wanted to savour the moment...but neither did she. When he did and their physical connection was broken, a pained gasp escaped him. She blinked._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_

 _As Rick walked away, his heart was hammering so loudly in his chest, he swore he was about to have a heart attack. He closed his eyes for a split second and that's when he crashed into Brandon._

" _Christ! I'm sorry."_

" _Where were you? I've been looking everywhere for you."_

 _Rick looked behind him and Brandon followed his gaze._

" _Who's that?"_

 _Rick didn't respond._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_

 _Michonne braved the stares from the people around her after Rick left. Marcella, on the other hand, was way too engrossed in feeding the horses that she didn't see the exchange between herself and Rick._

 _She fiddled with the $5 bill in her hand and when inquiring eyes were finally off her, she looked down at it. It was a note hastily but clearly written. It read._

" _What's your name?"_ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_

 _Marcella was disappointed that they had to leave but she knows that Michonne had no more money to spend. Despite that, she had the best belated birthday ever. She hugged her._

" _Thanks for bringing me here."_

" _You don't have to thank me Marcie."_

 _They walked hand in hand out of the ground, happy and satisfied._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~**_

 _Once at home, Marcella talked nonstop, as she told their parents what she did and what a good time she had. Their father merely lamented that he was glad that they made it home safely without any incident._

 _Michonne excused herself and went into the room, closing the door behind her. She took the $5 out of her pocket and stared at the words. Now he wanted to know her name and she was wondering why. Was it a trick?_

 _She put the money in the same place as the note that he had first given her._

" _Michonne! Come down for dinner."_

" _Okay!" she called out as she closed the draw._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_

 _The next time Rick saw her was four days later. He was on cashier duties that day. She walked in, picked up a loaf of bread, and two cans of tuna. She handed him the items for him to ring up. She gave him the money and waited for her change._

 _When he did hand it back to her, she also got something else…a piece of paper. Without reacting, she took it, with the groceries and left. When she bent the corner around the store, she took out the piece of paper and read it._

" _Tell me your name…please."_ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_

 _ **Two weeks later….**_

 _Michonne was walking back home from school when she saw Rick washing the store's windows. She caressed the note that she had written and been carrying in her pocket for the past four days. She had seen him several times since his last note to her but she avoided him as she wasn't sure about his intentions towards her._

 _But as the days past, she saw the subtle pleading in his eyes, each time she walked past the store without entering. So four days ago she decided to write him back a response. She wasn't sure what the reason for even writing the note to him._

 _She knows he had seen her walking towards him as he had slowed down in the washing of the windows. He was looking at her through the reflection in the glass. As she walked passed him with the note in hand, a gentle breeze was blowing so she crumpled up the paper and dropped it on the ground._

 _She didn't want it to blow away. Neither of them said anything to the other but she could feel his eyes on her. She kept her head forward and never faltered in her pace._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~***_

 _Rick saw that the paper was purposefully dropped for his attention and his mouth instantly went dry. He looked inside the grocery through the window and saw that everyone was preoccupied with other things._

 _He jumped off the ladder and grabbed the paper before the evening wind could blow it away. He opened it and it read._

" _Why do you want to know my name? What do you want from me?"_

 _He took off running up the street._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_

 _Michonne was about to bend the corner when she heard hasty footsteps pounding towards her from behind. She spun around defensively, not knowing what to expect. She was half relieved and half terrified that it was Rick._

 _When he reached up to her, he was slightly out of breath. He took 2 big gulps of air and steadied himself. Michonne watched him carefully, and readied herself to bolt at the slightly hint of danger._

" _Why do you want to know my name?"_

 _Rick heard the panic in her voice._

" _So I know what to call the most beautiful person I've ever seen."_ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_

 _Rick saw when she held her breath, slightly shocked on hearing his reply. Then she was beginning to get flustered and choked out the next question._

" _What…what do you want from me?"_

" _I want to get to know you…if you will let me."_

" _Why?!"_

" _Because I like you."_

 _Neither one of them said anything for a couple of minutes as people past them on the street._

" _Michonne. My name is Michonne." She said softly._

 _Rick took two steps towards her to close the gap between them._

" _Wow! A beautiful name for a beautiful flower." He replied gently._

 _Michonne shyly looked away from him as he looked down at her. He stretched out his hand to her._

"It's n _ice to meet you Michonne."_

 _The soothing of his voice compelled her to look back up at him and she put her hand in his._

"It's n _ice to meet you Rick."_


	5. Chapter 5

**Journey – Chapter 5**

 _Rick and Michonne stood there holding hands as people passed by them. After a couple of minutes, she turned away from him…his gaze much too intense for her._

" _I should be going home now."_

 _She tried to pull away her hand but Rick didn't want to let go._

" _Wait. How am I going to get to see you? I want to get to know you better."_

" _I don't know."_

" _Can I write you letters?"_

 _Michonne thought for a split second._

" _How will I get them?"_

 _For the first time, Rick let go of her hand and looked around the area that they were. He walked over to the side of one of the abandoned buildings on the block. He scanned the area and seeing that the coast was clear, he began rocking out one of the loose bricks from the wall. When it came out, he pushed his hand down in the hole and smiled. He walked over to Michonne and taking her hand guided her back over to the building._

" _I could write the letters and put them in here. You can get them on your way home. You could write to me too."_

 _Michonne looked around, abit unsure of everything. Then she looked at Rick, searching his eyes. He caressed her cheeks, giving her the much needed assurance she desperately needed._

" _Everything is going to be alright. I promise that I am not going to hurt you."_

" _Okay." She said softly._

" _We could write to each other once per week or more if you like."_

" _Once per week is good."_

 _Rick smiled happily….his eyes smiling as well. He held her hand and they walked back to the corner._

" _Okay then. Reach home safe. Don't worry your parents."_

 _Michonne nodded and began walking up the street. After a short distance, she looked back and there Rick was, still looking protectively over her. She smiled and continued on her way home._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~***_

 _The very next day, Rick wrote a letter to Michonne and slipped it in the slot behind the brick. Two days later, he saw Michonne. They smiled subtly at each other and Rick grew excited._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~***_

 _As Michonne turned down the side of the building to their secret spot, anxiety took over her body. Her palms were sweaty and her feet wobbled beneath her. She was glad Marcella wasn't with her today as she would have surely told their parents that she was sick._

 _She stood infront of the brick. Clearly it was moved, a letter must be inside. Carefully scanning the area to make sure it was safe, she removed the brick and nervously reached inside. She gasped lightly when her fingers caressed an envelope. She took it out._

 _It was a plain white envelope and she was somewhat disappointed. She really didn't know what to expect….it's not like she expected it to be covered in love hearts and flowers. She opened it, careful not to damage what was inside._

 _It was a pink piece of paper. No doubt, all boys think girls like pink. She opened the neatly folded paper and began reading_

' _ **Oh most beautiful flower….'**_

 _Michonne couldn't continue reading past those four words. The kind of emotions that engulfed her ranged from fear to hope to curiosity. No boy has ever called her a beautiful flower…well atleast to her face. Her father kept her and Marcella very close to him from the time they were born._

 _Michonne herself have only been getting some kind of freedom after her 15_ _th_ _birthday, all thanks to her mother's intervention. Therefore, at 16 years old, she was relatively naïve to dating. Her mother had given her the 'birds and the bees' talk over and over again. She leaned against the building and continued reading._

' _ **Oh most beautiful flower….**_

 _ **Everything is so much brighter, so much more fulfilling, so much more worth living and fighting for now that you are in it. The world around us is cold and cruel and treacherous and will not let us be. However, this new world, this world of you and me…of us….will flourish and grow and sustain us despite it. Let me know you ..my delicate rose as I want you to know me.'**_

 _Michonne held her breath. Those words frightened her. Their meaning…its complications…the possibilities….the discoveries. She crushed the letter firmly to her chest and ran all the way home._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_

 _Over the next three months Rick and Michonne exchanged letters, not once but twice per week. Michonne has always been the obedient daughter but her communication with Rick was new and exciting. At the end of each letter, Rick would always caution her to be careful whenever she is retrieving them and urged her to fall back anytime she felt unsafe to get them._

 _He made her promise that she will be careful at all times. They talked about their families. She learned that Rick had a younger brother, Brandon and that they were originally from Michigan. He told her that they moved to Atlanta because his father got a promotion at work._

 _Michonne told him about her mother and father Miriam and Malcolm. He was already somewhat acquainted with her little sister Marcella. They also talked about other things, their interests, like books and movies and a lot of other stuff._

 _They also talked about what they wanted for their futures. Then Rick told her that he was 18 years old. In response to this, she told him that she was only 16. This was a concern to them so in the next letter, Rick asked if she wanted to meet to talk about it hoping that she would agree._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_

 _Rick had just dropped off the letter asking Michonne to meet him. He was barely back in the store when Steve abruptly appeared from nowhere in front of him. Annoyed, Rick tried to sidestep him but Steve counteracted his movements._

" _What do you think you're doing?"_

" _Excuse me?"_

 _Steve chuckled._

" _What do you think you're doing with that black girl? You think you're so smart. I see the eyes you've been making at her."_

 _Rick stepped menacingly towards Steve._

" _Choose your next words carefully asshole…"_

 _The smirk disappeared from Steve's face as they both glared at each other._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_

" _Do you need anything in the store mummy?"_

 _Michonne tried to sound as calmly as she can to mask her excitement. Her mother looked up at her for a split second from the kitchen._

" _No. Why?"_

" _I'm just going for a walk."_

" _Can I come?"_

 _They looked around at Marcella. Miriam then looked at Michonne who tried not to seem hesitant. If she denied Marcella's company, their mother would want to know why._

" _Okay."_

 _Marcella raced to change her clothes as Michonne waited at the front door. Five minutes later when Marcella returned, they kissed their mother and left._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~**_

" _Where are we going?"_

" _To meet a friend."_

" _Ok."_ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_

 _Marcella saw Rick and he was smiling at them as they approached. She tugged on Michonne's arm._

" _Why is he always smiling at us?"_

 _When she got no reply, she looked up at Michonne and saw that she was smiling too…at him. She looked confused between the both of them. They finally met up with each other._

" _Hi."_

" _Hi."_ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~**_

 _Marcella has never seen her sister act this way before. Rick turned to her._

" _Hello Marcella."_

 _She eyed him questionably._

" _I'm Rick. I'm Michonne's friend."_

 _Rick stretched out his hand towards her. She looked up at Michonne for confirmation. Michonne nodded at her. She shook Rick's hand. Rick and Michonne continued smiling at each other. She noticed how close Rick was standing to them…more specifically Michonne._

" _Marcie!"_

 _All their heads snapped around to see Tonya, one of Marcella friends who lived close by_

" _Can I?"_

" _Ok. But only for a minute. I'll be right here if you need me."_

 _As if it was an afterthought, Marcella looked at Rick. She seemed worried about leaving Michonne alone with him._

" _Hey…I promise to look after your sister. Ok?"_

 _She didn't seem to need any more convincing. They watched a Marcella rushed over to her friend's house._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~***_

 _With Marcella safely at Tonya's, Rick took Michonne's hand and they walked to the building where they stash their letters. By her silence, Rick realised that Michonne was still very shy around him._

" _It's so cute you're shy around me."_

 _Michonne blushed harder. He gave her hand alittle squeeze and she looked up at him._

" _So…"_

" _So."_

" _Do you want to continue this…getting to know each other?"_

" _I'm 16 and you're 18. I don't want to get into trouble or get anyone into trouble."_

" _You mean you don't want me to get into trouble."_

 _She nodded._

" _That's good to know. I don't want to get into trouble either. We could stop this any time you want. Right here…right now. I'm not going to force you to do anything you don't want to do."_

 _Michonne said nothing for a couple of minutes._

" _I want to see where this goes." She said, looking up at him hopeful that he wanted the same. "Do you?"_

" _I think my letters were clear on what I wanted."_

 _He caressed her cheeks._

" _I want to see where this goes too."_

 _Slowly, Rick leaned in to kiss her on the cheek but she pulled away._

" _I'm sorry."_

" _No…don't be. It's just" She looked bashfully to the ground. "It's just that I've never been kissed by a boy. Ever."_

 _She looked up at Rick, painfully embarrassed by her revelation; she got kindness in return._

" _Really?"_

 _She said nothing, looking away from him. Rick, quickly but gently, placed one hand under her chin and slowly tilted her head up to him. He leaned in closer and gracefully pressed his lips to hers, whilst putting the other hand around her waist to support her against him._

 _She tensed up in his arms but as their lips stayed connected, her body slowly relaxed and she melted into him. Her lips slightly parted, letting escape a soft gasping whimper. To match her reaction, Rick parted his lips also. He slanted his head, forcing her to do the same and their lips were locked to perfection. It was as if there wasn't anyone else in the whole world beside them._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_

 _When they pulled apart Michonne was barely breathing and her eyes were closed. When she did open them, Rick's own was piercing down into her soul. His arms still kept her in place and she could feel him breathing gently against her._

" _Are you alright?" Rick's voice was a raspy whisper._

 _She opened her mouth to speak but no words formed to come out. Rick reddened and was satisfied with her reaction at being kissed for the very first time._

" _Would you like me to kiss you again?"_

 _Michonne closed her eyes once again in response. His lips moved in for the second time but this time, he used his tongue to gently caress hers and Michonne let him. Couple minutes later, when they came apart for the second time, Michonne moaned with disappointment from their lost connection._

 _With eyes still closed, she traced her fingers along her lips and her head sank into Rick's chest. He brought up his free hand up across her back and held her softly against him. They stayed there for what felt like forever and Michonne wished it was. Eventually, she opened her eyes and Marcella was looked blankly at them._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_

 _The two sisters walked home in silence. Abruptly, Michonne stopped and face Marcella._

" _Marcie…I don't know how much of that you saw but I want to apologize to you for it. We should have been more respectful. I'm sorry."_

" _I didn't see much." She paused. "So that's why he's always smiling when he sees us…sees you. He likes you."_

 _Michonne nodded._

" _But we are different. How can he like you if we are not the same?"_

" _He's a boy and I'm a girl. That's the only thing that separates us. We are all human beings. We are not different."_

" _You like him too."_

" _Yes…I do. He's nice."_

 _Marcella eyed her curiously and they started walking again._

" _I know we don't keep secrets but you can't tell daddy. He wouldn't understand."_

" _But he will find out."_

" _I know. I will tell him. I just need more time."_

" _Ok."_ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_

 _That night at the dinner table, Michonne couldn't stop herself from smiling. She glanced to the left and Marcella was looking as if she was about to spill her secret. She squinted her eyes at her little sister and she looked away. Their antics, however, wasn't lost on their father._

" _What's going on between you two?"_

 _Both girls got serious._

" _It's nothing daddy."_

" _So why aren't you eating?"_

 _Michonne looked down on her plate and the food was scattered all over._

" _I'm not feeling very hungry."_

" _So why didn't you say so?" Miriam chimed in. "You know we can't afford to waste anything…especially food."_

" _I'm sorry."_

 _She began stuffing spoonful of beans in her mouth. Truthfully, it wasn't the fact that she wasn't hungry, she just wanted to delay the fleeting taste of her first kiss. She didn't want to lose what Rick tasted like either._

 _She remembers hearing her friends talk about their first kiss and how some of them were so disappointed by it. It didn't live up to their fantasy but for her, it was the total and complete opposite. When his lips first touched hers, she didn't know what to expect, but she certainly wasn't expecting what she got._

 _His lips were soft and warm and butterflies crammed her belly. Her heart hammered piercingly between her ears. Her eyes were closed at first but she sneaked a peak at Rick, hoping he was pleased as she was._

 _She was surprised that his eyes were closed also, his brow in deep concentration. When he drew away the first time, he literally took her breath with him. When he asked if she was alright, she really didn't know if she was. She didn't know how to answer him because no words formed to speak._

 _No word could rightfully begin to describe what she was feeling. When he kissed her the second time, her body became a bundle of frantic nerves…each fighting for dominance over the other. Then there was the tongue. Sweet God!_

 _The tongue…that tongue…his tongue. The movement of both their heads caused their lips to fit together perfectly. The groves in his lips perfectly matched up with hers. The painful explosion in her nipples and the moist heat between her legs was building rapidly and she was terrified._

 _At first she was glad he pulled away but then was disappointed. She felt sorry for her friends…the ones whose first kiss was dreadful but she was glad she wasn't in their bracket. All first kiss should be like the one she just had._

 _She quickly cleaned her plate, washed it and retreated to her room. Closing the door behind her, she sprawled out on the bed. Touching her lips again and closing her eyes, she smiled. Today was a good day…a good day to be kissed._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_

 _ **Two weeks later.**_

 _After writing a couple more letters, Rick asked to see her again._

" _We've been writing to each other for quite some time now. You know how I feel about you and I think you feel the same way too."_

" _I do like you. Alot."_

" _So I want to officially ask you to be your boyfriend."_

 _Michonne was surprised by his request and it gave Rick some concern._

" _Is it too soon? If I'm moving too fast tell me."_

" _Yes."_

" _Yes…I'm moving too fast?"_

" _No. Yes, you can be my boyfriend."_

 _Rick was so exultant that he hugged her, picking her up off the ground. Michonne giggled as he planted a passionate kiss on her cheek. They were out in the open but it seemed like Rick didn't care. However, no-one was around. He put her back down on her feet._

" _So…as my first official act I want to take my girlfriend out on a date."_

 _The smile disappeared from her face instantly._

" _A date? Out in public?"_

" _Yes. I want to take you out on a date."_

" _No! We can't!"_

 _Michonne started to panic. He could hear it in her voice. He stepped closer to her interlocking his fingers with hers._

" _I don't want to hide you Michonne. We shouldn't have to hide. I know this will be hard…for you more than me. People will be against us. Maybe your family, maybe mine, maybe the both of them but if we believe and trust in each other, we can get through anything. I will protect you Michonne…with my life if I have too."_

 _Rick words were forceful and she could tell that he meant every word he just said. She still had knots in her stomach but at some time she has to try the leap of faith._

" _Okay."_

 _She took a deep breath._

" _Where will we be going?"_

" _It's a surprise. Can you meet me Sunday at around 2pm?"_

" _I will try."_

" _I will meet you at the bus stop."_

 _He brought both her hands up to the lips and kissed them lovingly. They parted ways._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_

 _Sunday couldn't arrive fast enough for both Rick and Michonne. For Rick, he wanted to make the very best first impression ever for his special girl. It was their first outing as a couple and it should be perfect. He smiled to himself when he remembered Michonne's reaction to being kissed._

 _He knows that their life would be nothing like that but he was willing to make it as close as possible to it. For Michonne, it would also be a first for her again and she hoped that it would be as beautiful as her first kiss._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_

 _When Michonne arrived at the bus stop, Rick was already there. She wore a flowing, spaghetti strap, knee length, buttercup cream flowered dress. Rick wore a white t-shirt with a brown jacket and acid wash blue jeans. He also had a large picnic basket in his hand._

" _What's this?"_

 _She reached for the basket but Rick playfully pulled away._

" _Don't ask…don't tell."_

 _As if on cue, the bus arrived so they boarded. As they travelled along, Rick put his arms around Michonne's shoulders, leaning her into him. Then he kissed her forehead lovingly several times. They were getting ugly stares and vicious whispers but Rick didn't care and he paid no attention to them. However he felt how tense Michonne was against his body._

" _Ignore them." He whispered to her._

 _She tried to but there was a little old white lady who stared pointedly at Michonne showing her clear disapproval. She turned away from the hateful eyes, resting her head on Rick's safe shoulders_ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~***_

 _Rick rang the bell upon reaching their destination and Michonne was thrilled. It was the Atlanta Botanical Gardens and Picnic Park. She squeezed Rick's hand in delight and he smiled at his girlfriend's happiness. They walked inside._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~***_

 _There were over a dozen families in the park but there was glaring fact….they were all white families. Rick sensed her hesitation but he smiled, thus helping her to relax. The critical whispers and stares followed them when they walked around looking for the perfect spot._

 _Pretty soon they found it and Michonne looked on as Rick laid out the picnic cloth on the ground. He took out the sandwiches, juice and other items he had brought. Next to them was a young couple with two small children._

 _They began packing up as soon as Rick began unpacking their basket. Rick and Michonne looked at the couple and then at one another. Michonne put on a brave face but she was silently hurting inside. Rick saw it in her face._

 _He stood up and moved closer to her, rubbing her shoulders to comfort her. They looked behind them and the couple had already found a new spot and was re-setting their picnic spread._

" _Do you want us to leave?"_

 _She shook her head defiantly._

" _No. It just means more space for us."_

 _He smiled proudly at her._

" _That's my girl!"_

 _Five minutes later, they were lying down on their sides facing each other, talking and laughing. Unexpectedly, Rick spotted a group of young men walking up to them. They seem to be around Rick's age and slightly older. He smelt trouble so he sprang to his feet. Michonne followed but stayed behind Rick. Upon reaching them, the men gave Michonne a scornful look over but she stared them down as defiantly as well._

" _What are you looking at wrench?!"_

 _Rick stepped forward._

" _Hey punk! Don't talk to my girlfriend like that!"_

 _The man put up his hand in defensive mode._

" _My friends and I just came over to ask you a question. We assume you can read right?! The sign at the entrance said no pets allowed so we were just wondering…why did you bring your bitch in heat?"_

 _Rick raised his hand to take a swing but it was held back…by Michonne. He looked at her. She was shaking her head._

" _Please…don't."_

 _Michonne had already calculated the odds in her mind. Even if Rick did manage to punch out two, he certainly couldn't take out the other three without sustaining injuries…maybe even serious injuries. She couldn't let him get hurt on account of her._

 _The men began walking away, laughing…all except one. He stared at Michonne with pure unadulterated hate in his eyes. He glanced briefly over to Rick who was standing protectively infront of her. He walked away._

" _We should go Rick. I don't want any trouble."_

" _No!" He was defiant. "We deserve to be here as much as anyone else. You deserve to be here. No-one is going to force us to leave. No-one!"_

 _They sat back down. When he finally calmed back down, he took out an item from the basket._

" _I have something for you."_

" _What is it?"_

 _He handed her a neatly wrapped gift. When Michonne opened it, she was touched. It was a diary._

" _Open it to the first page."_

 _She did and it read._

" _ **To my first and only love….Michonne."**_

 _A small joyful sob escaped Michonne as well as a tear from her eyes. Rick wiped it away._

" _You love me?"_

" _With all my heart Michonne. With everything in me."_

 _Tears were now streaming down her face. Rick pulled her close._

" _I love you too." She cried softly. They pulled apart and Michonne let out a series of small giggles. She never thought that she could be this happy…especially with someone like Rick._

" _For now on we will document our lives together Michonne, from this very moment. I have a diary too. We will put our hearts on these pages."_

 _He pulled out his own diary._

" _We will write about the good, the bad and the ugly. I want our children to know that we fought for each other."_

" _Children?!"_

" _Yes Michonne! Children! You will be my wife and the mother of my 6 children…4 boys and 2 girls."_

 _Michonne's eyes popped open at his bold declaration._

" _I want our children and grandchildren and great grandchildren to know that they came from the real love of two people who the world told couldn't be together."_

 _Michonne nodded in passionate agreement. In the distant, they heard the ice-cream man. Rick grinned._

" _We have to celebrate the beginning of our lives together."_

 _He jumped to his feet._

" _One scoop or two?"_

 _He didn't have to asked what was her favourite flavour ice-cream as she had told him in one of her letters._

" _Two."_

" _Two scoops of double mint chocolate ice-cream coming up!"_

 _Rick raced across the park to beat the scores of people who were also heading in same direction._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~***_

 _Despite how their date started with all the hate they have been getting, Michonne was happy. She waved to Rick a few times when he looked back at her. She didn't think anything could spoil this moment…but she was wrong…so so wrong. She opened the diary and was about to write her first blissful entry when she smelt the stench._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~**_

 _Rick had just received the ice cream when he heard the scream…her scream. He turned in her direction and what he saw enraged him. He dropped the ice-cream and bolted back into the park._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_

 _Michonne looked around her and on her clothes as garbage of all kinds clung to her. The group of young men who had approached them earlier returned and was surrounding her…laughing. One of them had the empty garbage can from which he had thrown the garbage on her. Then, without warning, one of the other men who were also holding a garbage can dumped it on her. They laughed even louder as hot tears filled her eyes._

" _Shit! Her boyfriend is coming back!"_

 _They had barely scampered away when Rick rushed by Michonne's side. He cupped her tears stained, dazed face._

" _Oh God Michonne! Are you okay?!"_

 _He wiped the muck and gunk off her as best as he can._

" _Michonne please talk to me!'_

 _She just stood limpy, frozen in her spot, staring blankly at him._

" _Baby!" He cried. "I'm so sorry this happened!"_

 _Suddenly, Rick heard a commotion behind them. The group of men who assaulted Michonne was being detained by the park's security._

" _I will kill you!" Rick screamed, running in their direction._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~**_

 _One of the security officers saw a raging Rick gunning for them. He intercepted and tackled him to the ground…pinning him there. Rick punched and kicked and clawed, screaming at them._

" _Piece of filth! I will kill you! How dare you hurt her like this!"_

" _All the garbage should be in one place!" one of the young men shouted at Rick._

" _Enough!" another officer shouted to him._

" _Get off of me!" Rick bellowed. He looked around and everyone in the park was looking on. He screamed at them._

" _All of you just stood there and watched what they did to her! Why didn't you stop them?! Why didn't you help her?!"_

" _Are you going to calm down so I could let you go?!"_

 _Rick instantly stopped struggling and the security officer slowly got off of him._

" _Arrest them!" Rick demanded._

" _We are not the police and no-one here would testify on your girlfriend's behalf. Where is she?"_

 _When Rick turned around, Michonne wasn't there. He search the park frantically with his eyes as he sprinted back to their spot. Everything was as is except for Michonne. She was gone and so was her diary._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~**_

 _Michonne didn't know how long or how far she ran. All she knew was that she needed to get out of there. She was wrong…so wrong. Today was the worst day of her life. Rain began to drizzle with a cold unforgiving breeze, but her tears were colder still. It stung her face._

 _It blinded her. She turned the corner and saw the familiar bus stop. It was only then she slowed down. She was glad that there weren't much people on the streets. She reeked of garbage…it was the scent of her humiliation._

 _Up ahead was the building, where it all started...this painful path that she was now upon. She went to the spot as the rain began coming slightly heavier now. Underneath the loose brick she sat on the cold dirty floor since there wasn't any much difference between her and it now. She put the diary under her dress against her chest and just cried._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~***_

 _Rick's desperate cries echoed through the park._

" _Michonne!"_

 _Everyone just stood there, looking at him like a mad man._

" _Michonne!"_

 _He dropped to his knees, next to his own diary. Today was supposed to be the beginning of the rest of their lives. When he realized that the first memory for Michonne's diary would be this day…it shattered him. He broke down and cried._

" _I'm sorry baby."_ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_


	6. Chapter 6

**Journey – Chapter 6**

Rick felt numb as he was walked home. His throat was sore from screaming Michonne's name, hoping that she was close by…that she would answer him. He knew that things would be difficult for them…for her but never in a million years did he expect what happened today.

He had asked several people in the park if they saw the direction in which Michonne had fled in. While some gave him a general direction, other blatantly refused to help him. Some simply stared at him blankly while others merely smirked.

The young men who attacked Michonne were released and when they walked passed him at the entrance of the park, they chuckled. The rain was drizzling slightly now and he headed to the one place that he hoped that she would go.

He was angry at the people who hurt Michonne and his inability to protect her. He was hurt that Michonne was humiliated because of him and now he was panicky because he couldn't find her anywhere. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

The rain had taper off abit when Michonne opened her eyes. She was shivering in the moist evening breeze. Slowly she got up and took out the diary. Loosening the brick from the wall, she put the diary down inside and replace the brick.

She burst into tears again. The diary represented him and right now it was too painful for her to bear. She began walking away and had only taken a couple of steps when she ran back and ripped the brick from the wall again.

She pulled out the diary and pressed it to her lips. If she never saw Rick again, atleast she would have something to remember him by…something good. She would remember what could have been. She walked home. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Rick passed Mr Green's Grocery and went around the corner to the building. When he saw the brick on the ground, he ran up and frantically searched the hole. There wasn't a note or more importantly, the diary he gave her wasn't there.

He chose to take that as a positive sign…that Michonne had kept the diary and not throw it away. To help put his own fears to rest, he walked over to the garbage bin and checked it. No diary.

" _There's still hope."_ He muttered to himself. He began running home. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Michonne stood in her neighbour's backyard two houses down from her home. For the past ten minutes she have been watching the coming and going at her house. She knows for sure that her father was at work.

She saw Marcella playing with some of her friends in the front yard but her mother was no longer no-where to be seen. She had earlier stepped out on the porch and spoke to Marcella briefly before disappearing inside. Michonne hadn't seen her since and had deduced that she had gone to take her evening nap.

Michonne advanced slowly and quietly towards home. She was hoping to make it inside the house to shower and dress before her mother wakes up. She also needed to discard of her smelly clothes and think of a good excuse if caught. However, she was determined not to.

Michonne made it to the neighbour's fence that separated their houses. She squeezed through a broken plank that Mr Alvin had been promising to fix for years. Darting up the back step, she pushed the door gently and stuck her head in cautiously.

The coast was clear so she scrambled to her room. Quietly, she took off her dirty clothes and put them at the bottom of the waste basket, wrapped herself in a towel and headed straight to the bathroom.

Michonne stifled her sobs as she washed the scum off of her body. She was in the bath for ten minutes before coming out. In her haste to retreat to her room, she crashed head on with her mother. Michonne froze, bugged eyed.

"When did you get back?"

Michonne opened her mouth to speak but no words form.

"And what is that smell?!" Miriam pinched her nose.

"I fell down!" Michonne blurted out before her brain could even think. She didn't want to lie but she had already so she had to continue. "I fell down in a drain so I went straight to the bathroom when I came in. Didn't want to disturb your evening nap."

Her mother took a step towards her and touched her face.

"Is that why you were crying? Did you hurt yourself?"

Michonne shook her head meekly.

"Are you sure you're alright?"

"Yes." She croaked.

"Do you want something to eat?"

"No. I'm not hungry."

Miriam watched as her daughter slink away to her bedroom and closed the door. She knows something is wrong but if she presses, Michonne will just shut down. She walked to the bedroom door and pushed her head inside. Michonne was just sittiing on the edge of the bed.

"You know you can talk to me…right?"

Michonne merely stared at her. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Rick ran into the house and straight to his bedroom. He didn't even acknowledge his mother who was in the kitchen or his father and brother who was watching tv. Grabbing a pen and paper he wrote thirty four of the most important words of his life…in big bold capital letter…words he hope will reach his love's heart. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

The next day Michonne feigned body pain so as not to go to school. She didn't want to see Rick.

"We need to take her to the doctor."

Miriam looked from her daughter curled up on the bed to her husband. Malcolm nodded in agreement.

"I just need some time home to rest." Michonne protested. "I don't need a doctor."

Miriam put her hand to Michonne's head.

"You don't have a fever. That's good."

Malcolm and Miriam looked at each other.

"Just for today." Miriam finally announced. "I'll take Marcella to school. You stay in bed and rest."

Michonne nodded and pulled the blanket over her. She listen carefully as everyone left and the house became deafeningly quiet. She slid out of bed, reached inside of her draw and pulled out the diary.

Taking a pen out of her school bag, she opened the diary. The words " _ **To my first and only love…Michonne"**_ jumped out at her. Her eyes stung with the threat of fresh tears. With trembling hands she turned to the first blank page and began.

' _Dear dairy…._

 _Yesterday had all the signs of being a good day. Rick made sure that everything was perfect. His words were encouraging and contagious. He made me feel and believe in the impossible and I willing melted into him. He gave me a feeling that I have never felt before._

 _His love gave me a glimpse of what a good life we could have and that I'm worthy of his love. However, his love also proved to be a sword instead of a shield and it cut me ever so deeply. It showed me the pain in our future to come._

 _Our future doesn't seem so bright anymore. I love him but I'm scared. His words now sound off in my head as warnings of danger. How can we be together in a world that's working so hard to divide us? I know that he loves me…I could feel it but is love enough? Can our love shield us...our children?'_

Michonne didn't even realize that she was crying as she wrote in the diary until she had to retrace some of the words that were partially erased by her tears. Gently, she blew on the pages to dry the words. When that was done, she closed the diary and fell asleep. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Rick put the note in an envelope and placed it carefully under his mattress. He didn't sleep that night. How could he when he knows Michonne is in pain. He was desperately in need of trying to comfort her.

He didn't know where she lived but if he did, he would have gone to her house to atleast make sure she's ok. When he walked to the shop, Mr Green was outside waiting impatiently for him to open.

"Where the hell have you been? I've been waiting here for the past half an hour!"

Rick said nothing as he unlocked the gate and step aside for Mr Green to enter. Seconds later, the other employees began filing into the store. They needed to hustle as they had a late start thanks to Rick's tardiness. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Mr Green noticed that Rick barely said two words to any of his fellow colleagues for the entire day. He only grunted when spoken to. However, he was always polite and courteous to the customers.

He also noticed that Rick eyes were glued to the outside, he was actively scanning the people passing by the store…searching for something. Then for one brief second, he saw Rick's eyes flicker with hope when a woman with a young girl walked by.

The girl made eye contact with Rick and showed signs that she knew him. Rick rushed outside and watched as they walked down the street. Mr Green moved closer to the window and watched as the young girl looked back several times at Rick. He walked back inside shattered and for the rest of the day, he kept his head down. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

"Is it ok if I take off? There is something I have to take care of."

"Something or someone?"

Rick said nothing.

"It's coming out of your pay. I hope you know that."

Rick merely nodded and handed him the store keys and left. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~***

Mr Green was locking up the store an hour later when he saw Rick loitering around the corner. He seemed anxious. Mr Green walked up to him and stopped briefly next to Rick. Neither one of them said anything to the other. Then Mr Green walked away. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

 _ **Later that night...**_

Michonne turned lightly to someone shaking her.

"Michonne." The person whispered.

"Hmmm."

"Michonne…"

She finally opened her eyes.

"What Marcella?"

"I saw Rick today. I think he was looking for you."

Michonne sat up on the bed.

"Did he say something to you?"

"No. He just stared at me. I thought mommy was going to catch him looking at us."

"Did you say anything to mommy?'

"No."

Michonne turned her back and remain mum for a couple of minutes.

"He looked sad Michonne."

"Go back to sleep Marcie." **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Rick didn't show up for work the next day. Instead, he asked his brother to deliver the message to Mr Green that he was feeling unwell on his way to school. Mr Green simply sent back the message that one day's work will be deducted from his weekly salary.

When his parents left for work, Rick slipped out the house and headed to his and Michonne's secret place. He lingered around yesterday hoping that Marcella will tell her that she saw him and by some miracle come by so he can tell her how he feel and assure her that he could protect her from anyone.

Unfortunately, she didn't. So his only option was to leave the note and hope and pray that she does come by and check for one. He managed to sneak the note behind the brick and leave the area before he is seen by his employer and colleagues. He boarded a bus and it bent the corner just as Michonne and Marcella turn the corner in the opposite direction. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

As they walked passed Mr Green's, Michonne held her head forward, afraid to see him. Marcella on the hand looked inside.

"He's not there. I don't see him."

"Ok."

They continued walking in silence. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Rick sat down on the back porch surrounded by stale pizza and cola….diary and pen in hand. He began writing.

' _It wasn't supposed to end that way. It was supposed to be the perfect day with the perfect girl. It should have been us talking about our future. Our kids…our grandkids…our great grandkids. It should have ended with the perfect third kiss she had ever gotten._

 _I wished she had let me clocked those assholes in the park. Sure I would have gotten my ass kicked but I wouldn't have cared. I was protecting her honour and any amount of pain is worth that. Then maybe they wouldn't have gone after her when my back was turn._

 _I am so scared for her…of losing her to all this hate. She belongs to me and I belong to her now and forever…always. I hope she sees that…I hope she remembers that…I hope she holds on to that because I will. I am never letting her go."_ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Michonne and Marcella stopped briefly at the corner. She noticed that the loose brick wasn't on the ground where she left it. She shifted nervously on her feet.

"Wait here!"

Before Marcella could answer, Michonne dashed down the alley. The brick was in the wall so she knew that a letter was behind it. Her heart began fluttering so wildly that she closed her eyes to steady herself. She took out the envelope but was timid to read it. She feared what it would say so she stuffed it in her pocket and made her way back to Marcella. Then they went home. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

In the dead of night, Michonne woke up and headed for the bathroom. She opened the bathroom window so that the full moon light could filter in. She closed her eyes as she unfolded the letter, then opened them. It read:

' _ **I LOVE YOU MICHONNE SO I'M NOT GIVING UP ON YOU. PLEASE DON'T GIVE UP ON ME. PLEASE DON'T GIVE UP ON US. DON'T GIVE UP ON WHAT WE HAVE. IT'S WORTH FIGHTING FOR'**_

The words were written in all capitals in the middle of the page and all around them were love hearts drawn…big and small with the initials _**R & M Forever**_ written in the middle of each of them. The hearts covered every inch of free space available on the paper. Michonne giggled softly as tears of joy ran down her face.

"Rick & Michonne Forever" she whispered. "I wouldn't give up on us Rick. I promise." **~*~*~*~*~*~**


	7. Chapter 7

**Journey – Chapter 7**

Larah read her great grandparents diaries first entries several times as she sat on the swing in their garden and cried. She didn't know what to think or say. She can't even imagine what her great grandmother was going through or how her great grandfather felt not knowing where the love of his life was.

Her own tears stained the pages of the diary. She wiped them away gentle so as to not damage the delicate pages. She didn't hear when someone came into the garden behind her. A hand touched her shoulder. It was her aunt Heidi.

"Hey. Are you alright?"

She held up the dairies.

"What happened here?"

Heidi took the diaries and held them close to her chest. She didn't have the read them. She could recite every word in them from memory. She slipped into the empty swing seat next to her. She was trying to find the right words to tell Larah the story.

It was a story that her grandparents told her father Carl and his brothers and sisters a million times and one that he himself told to her and her siblings numerous times. She decided to give Larah the short but unfortunately brutal version.

"Well…Rick took Michonne out on their first date in the public park."

Larah smiled for a brief second.

"But it didn't go well. In fact it was devastating for them, especially to Michonne. It was very traumatic."

"What happened?"

Heidi paused to choose her next words carefully.

"Some racist pricks threw garbage on her."

Larah was visibly shaken by what she was just told. She just stared at her aunt.

"Where…where was great granddad? Couldn't he stop them?"

"He was buying her her favourite ice-cream…double mint chocolate."

Larah gasped.

"That's my favourite!"

Heidi laughed.

"I know!"

Abruptly, her eyes filled with tears.

"How could they do that to her?!"

"Because they didn't see her as a human being and they knew that they could get away with it."

"Did they?"

"Yes. They did."

Larah rushed into her aunt's arms for comfort.

"She must have been so scared."

She rubbed comforting circles on her niece's back

"She was. She ran away from the park and from Rick. It almost drove him crazy."

"He didn't give up on her."

"And she didn't give up on him either."

"I wish I had met them."

"I was three when they died, so I don't remember what they looked like."

"And there aren't any pictures?"

"No. Not that I'm aware of. We would have found them by now."

Larah sat up and stared at her aunt intensely.

"What?"

"I'm just trying to picture what she looked like. My dad says that granddad always said that you're the only one so far that closely resembles her."

"So I've been told."

Larah truly studied her Aunt's features for the first time. Although she didn't have the brown eyes like Aunts Roslyn and Anastasia and Uncle Francis, she had other features which she often heard was the envy of her aunts of Heidi.

Her eyes were jet black and almond shaped and her skin was perfectly kissed with caramel chocolate. Her favourite colour is red and it paired perfectly with her skin tone. She also had a voluptuous body that her sisters and other female family members would kill for. She had a small waist with a tastefully shaped rear and her legs were long, toned and lean.

She could wear any type of dress, short or long, fitted or loose and she would radiate the room she walks in. She was also very athletic all through her high school and college years and often hear Aunt Roslyn complaining that she had to work out twice as much to look as good as Heidi who eats chocolate and barely puts on a pound.

Her hair wasn't straight, blond or light brown like Roslyn and Anastasia. Instead, her hair was closer to black and was small thick messy curls when kept short. Her father had once told her that Heidi grew her hair out and sported a full head of large afro curls in high school.

Larah herself also saw her wore partially plait cornrows and left the end to fizzle out. She looked like an Egyptian goddess . Roslyn and Anastasia tried to copied her and failed miserably. Heidi's husband Damien compliments her constantly on having the most perfectly shaped lips he had ever kissed.

"It would have been nice if we had an actual picture of them…to really see where I came from."

"What are you talking about Larah? You can see where you came from. We may not have a picture to show but look at all of us as a whole. We came directly from them. Look at your father, your brother, your cousins, aunts, uncles. We are Rick and Michonne. Their love is why we exist. You come from one of the most diversified families to descend from that era. Do you know how easily they could have given up their love, moved on and married other people? They didn't have it easy. They held on and fought the world for us to be here today. Don't you ever forget that. You don't need a picture to know who you are."

Larah picked up a slight annoyance in her aunt's voice. She apologized.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you."

"I'm not upset. I'm just…"

Heidi quickly wiped away the tears threatening to fall. She pulled Larah close. **~*~*~*~*~***

Julian drove up the driveway and Jayden jumped out of the car running towards the house. He took out the groceries and carried them inside. In the kitchen he started restocking the pantry and when he looked up, Larah and Heidi was sitting hugged together. He smiled. **~*~*~*~*~***

Phillip and Mary noticed the foul mood their eldest son was in for the past four days. When he came home from work, he would get something to eat and then head straight to his room when he was done.

He only spoke when he needed something or when he was asked a question and he would get annoyed at Brandon for the slightest infraction. Yesterday was particular bad. He had stepped out for a while and he came home is the boiling rage.

Minutes later they heard things being thrown around and smashed in his room. He hasn't spoken since. Now at breakfast, they wanted to get to the bottom of his anger.

"What's going on Rick?"

Rick was absentmindedly moving around scrambled eggs on his plate.

"Rick! Your mother is talking to you!"

"What?"

"What's going on? You haven't been yourself for the past four days. You're angry all the time."

He stared down at his scattered plate.

"Is it work?"

"No. Work is fine."

Mary looked at her husband. If it isn't the job, then there is only one other thing that can cause a young man to be in this mood.

"Is it a girl?"

He took a second hesitating and he wasn't very convincing.

"No."

"Are you sure? We could talk about it."

"It's not about a girl."

' _Well, technically it is'._ He thought. He saw the worried look on their faces, especially his mother's. He knew that they were specifically referring to yesterday. He had gone out to his and Michonne's special place to check for any letters which she may have left him.

He knew that she had received his, because the letter he left for her was gone. He checked every day since then but there was nothing there. Yesterday while on his way home from disappointment, he spotted one of the young men who had assaulted Michonne.

He screamed for the bus to stop and he jumped out. When the young man saw Rick, he took off running and he gave chase. He pursued his prey for four blocks and was almost upon him when a police cruiser came into sight.

His intended victim ran straight for the cruiser so he had to make a sharp right turn down an alley between a diner and a pawn shop. He stopped for a brief second to catch his breath and then he ran all the way home.

He was relatively new in Atlanta and he had never had a run in with the law in Michigan and he didn't want to start now. He smiled abit when he thought of the things he would have done to that coward. He would have had to take a beating within an inch of his life for himself and all his friends.

For that, he would have gladly gone to jail. Then he got angry. He didn't get to have his revenge for Michonne. They hurt her. They scarred her, probably for life. However angry he was, he took solace that there will be a next time and he will have his pound of flesh.

"But thanks for the offer though. When it's about a girl, I'll let you know."

"Ok."

They continued to eat breakfast in silence. **~*~*~*~*~***

Michonne desperately needed advice on her relationship with Rick but she knew her parents stance on white people. Her father doesn't trust and hates all of them and for good reason. Their family have suffered many injustices in the past at the hands of white people.

His father and uncle were lynched in front of him as a young boy after being falsely accused of raping a white woman. All their land was stolen from them and their house demolished and they were forced to move to an area near a landfill.

When he was a teenager, his elder brother and three of his friends decided to hold a peaceful protest in front of the local police station. There was a brawl with the police and they were handcuffed and hauled off in police cars, never to be seen again. He father did have reasons for not trusting any white person.

Her mother on the other hand believes that not all white people are like that. She has worked for the same family as a help since she was 19 years old. Her family did suffer hardships on account of white people in the past but she was blessed that she had found work with the Caine family.

They were not a rich family but they were fair. They never shorted her mother any money and gave her a little extra when they could when she started a family. The head of the family, Mr Henry Caine and his wife Mrs Violet Caine taught her mother how to read and write in private.

In turn, Miriam taught Malcolm and her two young girls to read and write from an early age. They would send books as birthday present for her and Marcella and they excelled in school. Then they died and her mother mourned for them to her father's great annoyance.

Then their only son returned home with his wife and three children to manage the house and her mother have been seeing hell ever since. He cut her wages in almost half and she no longer got time off or got to leave early as soon as she finished her duties.

Her chores became difficult because the children were spoiled and messy. Their mother would scream at her and call her names. One time, her mother was denied one week's wages because the new lady of the house wasn't please with her.

Her father had work double shifts the next two weeks to make up for her mother's lost wages. It was difficult but her mother still believes that some white people can be trusted and that they are not all bad. Michonne approached her mother from behind but said nothing. She watched silently as her mother cut up vegetables for dinner. She took up a knife and started helping. Miriam smiled at her.

"Can we talk?"

Miriam put down the knife, washed her hands and face her.

"Not now!"

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. It's not urgent. We could talk after dinner…when it's quiet."

"Ok."

They resumed preparing for dinner. **~*~*~*~*~***

At the dinner table, Malcolm was distracted. He saw Miriam looking at him and he broke his silence.

"You wouldn't believe what I heard today from Eddie. His wife overheard her employer talking about an incident that happened in the park a couple of days ago. A group of white boys threw garbage on a black girl who was apparently out with her white boyfriend. Her employer was having a real laugh at it too."

Michonne lost her breath and her heart stopped in her chest. She was speechless.

"Oh my God! That's horrible."

"It serves her right."

"How can you say that Malcolm!"

Miriam looked truly horrified by his statement. Michonne stared down at her plate and closed her eyes, waiting for her father's wrath. He put down his spoon in his plate.

"They are killing our men and raping our women Miriam. It's bad enough that we don't get any justice for these crimes but why do the rest of our women who were lucky enough to escape now willing go with these men! They are the enemy! They always were and will always be!"

"They are not all like that!"

"You are one of the few lucky ones that saw a tiny glimmer of kindness from a white person but it didn't last. Did it? I grew up in Mississippi Miriam! Mississippi! I have seen things that no human being, black or white should see. It was bad down there. I lived in fear! I have two girls. I still live in fear! No white person has ever shown me or my family any kindness or mercy so don't tell me they're all not like that!"

Miriam didn't want to argue. Malcolm has told her stories from his childhood. She is originally from Chicago and things were bad there but she had also heard horror stories from relatives and friends who had to flee Mississippi and Alabama for their lives.

"No decent, conscious, self-respecting black woman would ever find herself with a white man."

"You sound hateful…just like them."

"Well maybe I am Miriam. Experience is a bitch."

He looked up and apologized for his language.

"Sorry."

You can't help who you fall in love with." Miriam said quietly.

It was the first time since the conversation started that Michonne raised her head. She looked at her mother and felt somewhat hope.

"It isn't about love. It's about common sense and survival."

He paused.

"Are you telling me that if you have fallen in love with a white man, you would have gone out in public with him or worse yet…marry him?"

Miriam shook her head.

"See! And you know why? It's not practical or prudent. What kind of life would a black woman have with a white man as her husband? A difficult one! His family will never accept her! They will never live in peace. This world will not allow it! God forbid they have children! Where will they belong? The white side don't want them and the black side will reject them."

He resumed eating.

"It was a painful lesson but one that that black girl needed to learn. She needs to settle down with a nice black boy and have black babies. Atleast they will have a family. Her love for that white boy will only cause her pain."

That statement marked the end of the conversation and everyone finished their meal in silence. Michonne caught Marcella glancing at her several times but she didn't dare look back for fear of giving away her guilt. After the table was cleared, she helped her mother wash up the dishes.

"I'm ready to talk when you're ready."

"Actually, I'm fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I got the answer I needed already."

The pained expression on her mother's face crushed her. She knows that she was looking forward to having their talk.

"Ok but I'm still here if you need me."

"Thanks mom."

She hugged her mother and headed to her room. She pulled out Rick's last letter, pressed it against her lips and then her chest. She was alone and Rick is all she has. She tore a page from one of her notebooks and began writing **~*~*~*~*~***

Michonne carefully slipped the letter behind the brick. Her heart was aching for Rick and she hoped the letter reached him soon. She turned around. **~*~*~*~*~***

Rick almost cried out when he saw Michonne putting a letter behind the brick. He took a few steps toward her and stopped. He just wanted to look at her, look at his future, his future bride, the future mother of his kids when she turned around he smiled. **~*~*~*~*~***

Michonne didn't know what was happening but she knew she was running towards Rick. Her heart was hammering hard in her chest. She leaped in his arms, hands around his neck and started crying, calling out his name with bated breath.

"Rick! Rick!"

He wiped away her tears and without saying a word, pressed his lips to hers. Her feet dangled off the ground and they kissed passionately. After five minutes, he put her back down and placed two short kisses on her forehead. He was crying now.

"I thought I lost you! I tried to find you!"

She wipes away his tears.

"I couldn't stay there Rick. I just had to get away."

"I'm so so sorry Michonne. I should have protected you!"

He bowed his head in shame and she cupped his face.

"You didn't know that was going to happen. It's not your fault."

He opened his mouth to speak but was choked up. She hugged him closely.

"I love you so much Rick"

"I love you too Michonne. And I'm making this pledge to you here and now. I will love you through thick and thin till the day I die."

Michonne giggled.

"That's wedding vows Rick."

Suddenly, he looked thoughtful. He pulled out a five dollar bill out of his pocket and winked at her. He started folding it.

"What are you doing?"

"You'll see!"

She picked up on the excitement in his voice. Seconds later, the five dollar bill was fashioned into a ring and he held it up to her.

"Will you marry me Michonne?"

She gasped.

"But I'm too young to consent."

"I know but this represents my solemn and forever pledge to you and our life together with our children and grandchildren and all the other generations to come."

Michonne erupted into uncontrollable tears.

"Yes! Yes! Yes! I will marry you Rick!"

He slipped it on her ring finger and they kissed.

"I don't have one for you."

"That's ok. I don't need it. You are all that I need."

They kissed again. **~*~*~*~*~***

Before they parted ways, Rick promised her a do over first date. She expressed her fears and he assured her that it will be in a controlled and private setting. She agreed. He told her to check for a letter in five days' time for all the details. They kissed passionately once more in heightened anticipation for their next meeting. **~*~*~*~*~***


	8. Chapter 8

**Journey – Chapter 8**

Mrs Goodwin sat quietly and carefully hidden as she sipped on her tea. She smiled seeing the young couple so happy and in love. They have been her entertainment for the past couple months and they came to her attention only by accident. She had been familiar with the young blue eyed white boy from Mr Greene grocery and pharmacy as he would sometimes delivery items to her home when her knees were acting up.

The young black girl she had never seen in her life until she saw her in the alley that was directly behind her house. She was casually attending to her garden when the young girl caught the corner of her eye. She stopped watering her flowers and watch as she cautiously walked down and stopped by a wall.

The young girl looked around, clearly afraid and she had to hide at the side of her house to avoid detection. Then she removed a loose brick from the wall and retrieved something which she didn't quite catch what it was at first. Then she ran out the alley. A couple days late she saw the young man putting something in the exact location. Now her intrigue was at an all time high.

As a white retired school teacher of almost 30 years, she is experience with the mischief of teenagers. As time went on she observed the comings and goings of the budding young couple until one day as luck would have it she saw them shared their first kiss. From the young girl's reaction it was clear that it was her first kiss…ever.

She smiled at her inexperience, her innocence and she was secretly urging for them to kiss again which they did. It was beautiful. Now looking on, it appears that the young man has place something of a symbolic wedding ring on her finger and she has readily accepted. Young love is so fickle especially their kind of love.

They would have to fight both sides of their world to be together, if their union is to survive and she hopes it. Love is too rare and fleeting to be strangled by trivial things like the colour of someone's skin. **~*~*~***

Michonne walked all the way home on a high. She fiddled with the five dollar 'engagement' ring that Rick gave her. She felt different, it felt real. She wondered if Rick told his parents about her. She was scared to tell hers about him.

She was scared to tell her father in particular and after what he said at the dinner table there is no way she was going to say anything until the last possible minute. At home, she went straight to her room and closed the door. On the bed, she held up her hand in front of her and burst into delightful giggles. **~*~*~***

Since his reconciliation with Michonne three days ago, Rick has been thinking long and hard about his promise of a second date minus the heartbreak. He was distracted at work and was noticed by his colleagues and Mr Green scolded him. He apologized and focused on his duties for the rest of the day.

On the bus however, he had all the time to think freely. Public parks and like areas was strictly off limits. The bus turned on to 79th Street and stopped at the bus stop. Several persons got in jam packing the already crowded bus.

His eyes reddened and blazed seeing the last two occupants. It was two of the young men who attacked Michonne at the park. The boys froze when Rick jumped to his feet, hands clenched. The bus driver closed the door and was pulling off when the boys demanded that he open the door.

Rick pushed hard through the crowd as the boys jumped out and started running down the street. Seconds later Rick was outside in hot pursuit. **~*~*~***

"F*ck!" one of the boys shouted as he glanced behind him with Rick close on their heels. They turned left down Crix Avenue and ran in a zigzag fashion to avoid colliding with pedestrians. **~*~*~***

It was pure rage driving Rick. The images of Michonne, in tears covered in garbage and humiliated was the fire. That day he wanted to beat every single one of those animals but couldn't get to even one of them but today was going to be his luck. Two is better than none and he was going to make sure that they would take the beating for the whole group. Gradually he closed the gap between them like a lion hunting a prized prey. **~*~*~***

Casey and Dillon looked at each other as they ran breathlessly through the street. Sweat ran down their backs. They couldn't believe that the black girl's boyfriend still hasn't given up as yet and was closing in on them. They ran down an alley desperately seeking for another escape. They came to a screeching halt. It was a dead end. **~*~*~***

When his targets turned the corner and disappeared briefly from his sight, a boost of adrenaline kicked in. He rushed around the corner, near some garbage cans and in one of them was a piece of plank sticking out of in. He grabbed it and lunged. **~*~*~***

Casey didn't know what made him turn around but he was glad he did. The young man was coming at them with the piece of wood high in the air. He screamed at Dillon as he dived for cover.

"Look out!"

Dillon's reflexes were much to slow. Rick slammed the wood into his back and it sent him flying forward into a pile of garbage scattered in the ground in front of him. He turned on his side, his body searing in pain and Rick was standing over him. He held his hand up and screamed.

"All this for that black bitch!"

He knew he made a mistake when Rick's eyes bulged and the wood came down. **~*~*~***

Rick didn't get to deliver his rage because he was tackled from the side and forced against the wall. A series of blows was landing into his back so he dropped the piece of wood to defend himself. Then Rick delivered a backward head that connected with his enemy's nose sending him back.

Not to give him time to recover, Rick grabbed one of his assailant's arm and he twisted it forcing him into a disadvantaged position. He slammed him against the wall. The boy screamed as Rick landed his own cuffs into his ribs.

"Stop!"

Rick did not stop until a hand locked around his neck from behind and pulled him backwards. He fell to the ground hard. His opponent got on top of him and started throwing punches with three landing in his face before he started blocking with one hand while the other searched the ground. Rick wrapped his hand around the piece of wood and smashed it against the boy's arm.

"Ahhhhhhh!"

The boy rolled off and with lightening speed Rick straddled him and grabbing him by the throat with both hands, he squeezed until he was gurgling for breath and turning blue. Satisfied, Rick punched him several times in his face. Rick rolled off him as he was clutching his arm and gasping for breath. Rick scrambled to his feet and picked up the piece of wood menacingly.

"I think…I think you broke my arm!"

"You hurt my f*cking girlfriend! You traumatized her! You're lucky that's all I did!"

He wiped the blood from his own face and looked over. The other boy was cowering in the corner…bugged eyed. Rick walked over with the piece of wood in his hand.

"I'm sorry!" he screamed.

Abruptly, he grabbed the boy by his shirt and dragged him over to his friend. They huddled together. He pointed the wood at them.

"Tell your friends that when I see them, they are next. They will pay for what they did to the love of my life."

They nodded.

"And as for you two….whenever you see her you run in the opposite direction! Do you hear me?!"

"YES!"

They answered in unison.

"Good."

Rick threw the piece of wood on the ground and left the alley. **~*~*~***

Michonne was packing away her lunch bowl when Tonya sat down next to her.

"Who is he?"

"What?"

"Who is the boy that has you smiling from ear to ear for the past three days?"

Michonne giggled uncontrollably.

"Who said anything about a boy?"

"You just did! Look at you!"

Michonne shook her head all the while grinning foolishly. Tonya folded her arms across her chest waiting for details.

"I don't want to say anything yet. Everything is going so good. I don't want to jinx it."

"You have to tell me something…anything. Is he from around here? Is he someone we know?"

"He's not originally from around here so no…he isn't someone you or anyone else around her knows. Don't ask me any more questions. I'm not talking."

"Ok! Whatever!"

The teacher began signalling to the students that lunch was over. They walked to class. **~*~*~***

Rick ignored the stares of the commuters on the bus. His face was bloodied and bruised and his shirt was dirty and torn. He had difficulty breathing and he wondered if he had broken ribs. He was in pain but he was smiling…happy…contented.

He made a promise that day in the park and he had partly fulfilled it. The bus finally pulled up at the stop two blocks from his home. He got out and made his way home, proud. As he neared his house he spotted his mother at the neighbour's. He exhaled. **~*~*~***

Mary was chatting to the next door neighbour and it was she who saw Rick first and was taken aback by his condition.

"Isn't that your son?"

Mary turned around and gasped. She raced down the neighbour's driveway towards him.

"Oh my God Rick!"

"I'm okay mom."

She fussed over him and when she touched his face, he winced.

"What happened?!"

"Nothing."

"Don't tell me nothing! Look at your face!"

They walked up their driveway and into the kitchen patio.

"Sit down."

"Mom…I'm fine."

"Sit down!"

He maybe 18 years old but he did what he was told. Mary disappeared inside and returned seconds later with the first aid kit. He sat still as she cleaned his face from the blood and dirt. She had tears in her eyes.

"Please don't cry."

"Who did this to you? Did you go to the police?"

"No. The other guys looked worse."

Mary shrunk back from him.

"Guys?"

She pulled up a chair and sat directly in front of him.

"Rick Christopher Julian Grimes! What did you do?!"

A chuckle escaped his lips. The only time his mother uses all of his names was when she's either angry or afraid. From the look on her face, it was the latter. He took her hand in his to calm her.

"I was in a fight. That's all."

Her eyes blinked several times then slowly, she leaned in and whispered.

"Tell me the truth. Is anyone dead or critically injured?"

Rick laughed but Mary held a straight face.

"No one is dead. Critically injured…maybe."

She gradually breathes a sign of relief and continued tending to his face. When she was finished he pleads with her.

"Please don't say anything to dad. I want to tell him myself."

"Ok." **~*~*~***

Rick remained in his room until his mother called out that it was time for dinner. There was knock on his door. It was his father. He looked at him briefly and sat down on the bed next to him. He popped a mint in his mouth and offered one to Rick.

"Should I expect the police to come knocking at my door anything soon?"

Rick shook his head. He knew he was asking too much of his mother.

"No dad. No police."

"Are you sure?"

"I can guarantee it."

Phillip digests the information.

"Any bodies I need to be aware of?"

"Dad…"

"I know you Rick. You don't go looking for trouble but if trouble comes to you, you are a savage. You don't back down. I know what you are capable of doing when you are trying to protect someone you love. Remember Trevor, Brandon's bully?"

Rick said nothing.

"I remember. It was scary what you did to him and you were only 15."

"He deserved what he got."

"And that was the only reason why you got a slap on the wrist. Plus you were a teen. You are eighteen years old and something like that can and would land you in jail now. Don't do that to your mother."

"I'm sorry dad but these guys deserved what they got too."

"That may be but try turning the other cheek more often. Please."

"Ok. I promise."

"Good. So who is she?"

"Why do you assume it's about a girl?"

"Well we've been here for a couple of months so it is possible you met someone. I know this isn't about me, your mother or your brother, and there aren't any relative in town that I know about so it has to be about a girl….a girl that you obviously care very deeply about…or even love."

Rick looked to the floor and Phillip pat him on his back.

"When you are ready to tell me about her, we are here for you."

Phillip stood up.

"That's it? You are not even going to ask what happened?"

"The police aren't coming and there aren't any bodies so yes…that's it. Like I said…you will tell me when you are ready."

Mary called out again.

"Dinner is ready!"

They left the room.


	9. Chapter 9

**Journey – Chapter 9**

 **Hey guys…I apologize in advance for this short chapter but it is just a lead up to one of the sweetest and most beautiful moments in Rick and Michonne's young lives. Trust me…it will be worth it.**

At the dinner table, Brandon stared at his brother.

"What the hell happened to you?"

Rick looked up.

"What?"

Brandon pointed to the bandage on his face.

"Your face…"

Phillip and Mary stayed silent and continued eating.

"Nothing. I got into a fight, that's all."

"A fight? Over what?"

"It doesn't matter. It wouldn't happen again."

"Then who?"

Rick sigh.

"Why does everyone assume it's about someone?"

He stuffed his face with a spoonful of mashed potato and gravy and everyone else continued eating. Fifteen minutes later and Brandon was at it again.

"Is this about the girl at the fair a couple of weeks ago?"

Rick's head snapped around, eyes popped open but Brandon had no chill.

"What? I saw the way you were looking at her. It was as if you saw your soulmate or something. You just kept staring at her like no one else was around! It was embarrassing!"

Rick turned beet red and his jaw dropped open, mortified.

"Stop talking!"

Rick turned his head back in time to see his father cockily put down his knife and fork on his plate and stretched out his hand to his mother. Defeated, Mary shyly fished out a $20 from her bra. Rick gasped.

"Really?! Are you serious?! You guys bet on me?!"

"It's not a bet per say. Your mother and I just had a little discussion and it was decided that the winner gets bragging rights and the loser has to put $20 towards starting a college fund for our future grandkids."

"Oh my God! I can't believe this!"

He looked at his brother who put his hands up in defence.

"I swear I didn't know about any bet!"

Rick looked frankly at his parents. Mary got over her defeat to her husband very quickly.

"Now that it's confirmed, when do we get to meet her?"

"Mom….we are just finding our way ourselves." He swallowed. "It's complicated."

"What do you mean complicated?"

Rick said nothing. He has never seen his parents show prejudice toward black people but he have never seen them interact with much of them because he grew up in an all white neighbourhood with an all white school.

Of course there were black people in the area where they use to live but they ran in different circles. He wondered how they would react to Michonne given that they themselves were now navigating their own relationship and are facing their own tribulations.

"I mean as soon as we are settle I will introduction her to you."

His mother seemed somewhat disheartened.

"Can we atleast get a name?"

Mary's eyes gleamed with anticipation and he caved in.

"Michonne. Her name is Michonne."

She smile.

"Ohhhh. Such a beautiful name! Michonne Grimes! Mrs Michonne Grimes! I can't wait to meet her!"

He looked over at Brandon who grinned at him mischievously. **~*~*~***

Michonne thought about Rick as she twirled the 'ring' on her. She has never felt more connected to him. She loves him and made a solemn promise to herself that she was going to spend the rest of her life with him as his wife, mother of his children and eternal soulmate. She felt like she could conquer the world and face any trials in their future.

She wondered if this was how her mother felt about her father…if she walked on cloud nine. She and Marcella walked into their yard and entered the house through the kitchen. Her mother was there preparing for dinner. She greeted her and rushed inside to change, bathe and dress.

She returned 10 minutes later after setting up Marcella to start her homework and joined in preparing for dinner. As they cleaned and washed the vegetables, she played over in her mind the angle she was going to approach the subject of love with her mother. Abruptly, before she could think, she blurted out the most obvious question.

"When did you know you were in love with daddy?"

As expected, the question took Miriam by surprise. Michonne didn't look at her mother for fear of giving away her secret. To Michonne, the paused seemed to last for hours.

"Why do you asked?"

Michonne shrugged her shoulder.

"Just wondering."

Michonne kept her eyes on the carrot in the sink. Miriam continued cleaning.

"It's the way he made me feel. I thought I could walk on water!"

She glanced at her mother and she was smiling hard.

"My mother didn't like him. She thought he was too aggressive and straightforward but I call it persistent. He had been through a lot and the more I spoke to him the more I fell in love."

"How did the two of you meet?"

Miriam's face turned dark and sombre.

"The police was going through my neighbourhood. They were kicking in people's doors. I was coming home from school. I was around 15 or 16 at the time and they were snatching up any and everyone on the street and forcing them to lay down on the hot ground. They had large police dogs trained and snapping at people. One of the police officers saw me and called me over but I froze. He released his dog and it began chasing me. I turned and began running. I was never so scared for my life. I heard the dog gaining on me and when I ran around a corner down an alley I crashed straight into Malcolm and two of his friends. I fell down crying and screaming for help. They ran up just as the dog turned the corner and when it was about to pounce on me, he hit it with a piece of wood. He killed it."

Miriam wiped an escape tear from her eyes.

"He picked me up, took off his shirt and bandaged my bloody knee. We heard the police coming so we hid in the alley behind some buildings until they left. He took me home and checked on me for days afterwards. We became friends and then after some months asked me out. Of course I refused him the first couple times. I was stubborn and he refused to give up."

Miriam laughed.

"It took me two years before I said yes to him asking me out. He finally got under my skin. For our first date, you know where he took me? To the theatre."

"But they don't allow us in there."

"That wasn't going to stop Malcolm. He made a hole in the side of the theatre building which was next to the bakery he was working. I met him around 7:30. He bought puff pastries and soda for us to eat and drink and we sat down in the dark alley on a makeshift bench. We took turned peeping through the hole. We couldn't laugh or anything like that but we did have a good time."

"Weren't you afraid of getting caught?"

"No I wasn't."

"Why?"

"Because I was with him. He made me feel safe, invincible." Miriam paused. "I know what your father said the other day seemed abit harsh but he's only trying to protect you and Marcie. However, if you get someone Michonne, someone who loves you enough to walk through fire into the bowels of hell and battle the devil himself for you promise you will hold onto him with both hands. Men like your father is a dying breed and I pray everyday that by the time you and Marcella decide to settle down and marry the both of you get as luck as me."

"I promise mummy."

Michonne mulled over what her mother said. It was like an exact mirror image of her and Rick.

"That's when you knew you loved him…"

"Yes and him being an incredible kisser didn't hurt."

Miriam winked at her and she shrunk back blushing. She knew exactly what her mother was talking about.

"Okay mummy!" **~*~*~***

Saturday at work was really busy. When he finally got a lunch break Rick retreated to the stockroom with the day's newspaper. Munching down on his tuna sandwich, he casually browsed through the papers when something caught his eye. It was a couple of pictures of Canary Park sent in by Willis Dent.

Rick had heard of him before. He was a well known travelling photographer who pictures have won him prestigious awards. There were several pictures but one in particular stood out. It was a picture of a small secluded clearing with a cluster of sorted trees cradling it. In front of the clearing was a small pool that appeared to be teaming with life. It looked straight out of a fantasy world.

Rick thought he heard the picture literally call out his and Michonne's name. He smiled broadly. He found it. He found the perfect place for their second date. He read the article and scrambled to take down the directions. He was determined to check it out…today. **~*~*~***

Rick's jaws dropped when Mr Green asked him to stay an additional two hours.

"Does it have to be today? I have somewhere to be. It really really important!"

Mr Green folded his arms across his chest.

"It's part of your job description…remember? Besides, you're getting overtime and you're off tomorrow."

Rick contemplated but soon he realized that it may not be a bad thing. Overtime means more money and he will reach his goal of getting Michonne a proper engagement ring faster.

"Ok. I'll stay."

Mr Green scoffed as if it was a request or he had a choice. **~*~*~***

The last two hours of the day dragged on and Rick literally counted the second and minute hand of the clock on the wall. When it was almost 7 pm he gingerly waited by the door, keys in hand. As the hand struck 7, he dashed outside and locked the front door and gate. He broke out in a small sprint to drop the keys at Mr Green's house.

Accomplishing his mission, he looked at the piece of paper in his hand. He needed to take a bus going the opposite direction to his home. He waited impatiently at the bus stop and when it did arrive, he rushed in.

It took 45 minutes to reach his destination and thought that he should have mentally willed the bus to move faster. It was dark and it was half moon. Rick walked through Canary Park and was surprise to hear voices of other people echoing throughout.

As he walked along the track he passed pockets of couples whispering, giggling and even making love to each other. It made him smile. He stop for a second, closing his eyes. The picture from the newspaper was so vivid in his head. He opened them and continued walking for another five minutes.

He instantly recognized the back of the trees and pushed his way through the shrubbery. The dim moonlight on the small pond hit him first. The ground was covered in glittering lawn grass. Rick walked to the middle of the camp area and inhaled the fresh air.

It was every bit as beautiful as it looked and was described in the article. It was perfect. Rick decided then and it would not only be the place for their perfect second date but it was the ideal spot for when he proposed to Michonne. He cried. **~*~*~***

Rick was extra jolly Sunday morning and everyone, including Mr Green took notice. He was also taken aback when Rick asked to work overtime for the next couple of weeks.

"Yesterday you didn't want to stay back late and now you're asking for it?"

"I'm planning for my future Mr Green. I need money to do that."

Mr Green eyes narrowed. Rick is up to something. He could smell it but he will not deny Rick's request. A lot of the customers, especially old ladies like Rick and he makes extra money on deliveries when they request Rick bring groceries to their homes.

"You will need to talk to your co-workers. I have already divided the extra time among them."

"Will do. Thanks."

Rick walked away smiling.


End file.
